In February, Loewe‘s creative director Jonathan Anderson announced the 26 finalists for this year’s Loewe Craft Prize, an award championing the craftsmanship of artisans who work in the physical realm.

Via a jury comprising a panel of experts from design, architecture, journalism, criticism and museum curatorship, these 27 finalists have now been whittled down to one: German-born wood artist Ernst Gamperl, for his work Tree of Life 2.

Gamperl’s winning piece consisted of large round wooden containers carved from a 300-year-old oak tree uprooted during a storm. “This is an object that is both beautiful, and teaches us the value of recycling,” the president of the jury Anatxu Zabalbeascoa explained. “It is based on rescuing fallen trees and bringing nature back to life with exquisite skill. It is the work of a gifted craftsman who has the special ability to have developed a distinctive individual voice rather than a style or signature’.

Jonathan Anderson added: ‘The work of Ernst Gamperl has something which conveys a unique voice and the physicality of these pieces will be important for many more years to come.’

Gamperl received his award at a special ceremony in Madrid, winning a cash prize of 50, 000 Euros. All finalist entries will be on display in Madrid on 11th April, and subsequently at New York’s Chamber Gallery from 30th May – 6th June, Tokyo through November and London’s Saatchi Gallery from 22nd February – 26th, 2018