Meet Adelene Koh, the Singaporean bookbinder named finalist for the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2026

Adelene Koh is only the second Singaporean to be shortlisted for the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, following artist Ashley Yeo’s selection in 2018.

Established in 2016, the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize is widely regarded as one of the most respected honours in contemporary craft. The award celebrates artists whose practices demonstrate exceptional technical mastery while offering fresh perspectives on heritage disciplines.

While Singaporean creatives have earned increasing recognition across art, design and fashion, bookbinding remains an especially rare practice to be represented on such an international platform, making Adelene’s achievement particularly meaningful.

Trained in fine bookbinding in London and Tokyo, Adelene’s work reflects both technical discipline and a deeply considered artistic sensibility. A graduate of Lasalle College of the Arts, she later completed a master’s degree in the conservation of cultural relics, developing a specialised understanding of materials, structures and the physical life of books – knowledge that continues to inform her practice.

Endless – The artwork to watch

Her shortlisted piece, Endless, draws inspiration from a detail most readers would seldom notice: the endband, the delicate band of stitching at the head and tail of a book’s spine. Traditionally functional, the endband serves to protect and stabilise. In Adelene’s hands, this modest structural element is thoughtfully expanded into a circular, sculptural form, where colour, thread and repetition take on new presence.

Meticulously constructed by hand around a slender aluminium core, the work employs a historic English sewing technique dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. The result is an object of subtle intricacy – contemporary in appearance, yet deeply anchored in tradition.

A notable edition for Singapore

Loewe Foundation Craft Prize’s 2026 edition carries particular significance, with Singapore hosting the exhibition for the first time – marking the Craft Prize’s debut in Southeast Asia. This year, more than 5,100 submissions from 133 countries and regions were reviewed, with only 30 finalists selected across 19 countries, representing a diverse range of craft traditions.

Can the public view the works?

Yes. All shortlisted works, including Adelene’s Endless, will be exhibited at the National Gallery Singapore from 13 May to 14 June 2026. The recipient of the €50,000 prize (approximately S$74,750) will be announced on 12 May, alongside two special mentions who will receive €5,000 each.