Lynchburg, VA, USA—Art Jewelry Forum (AJF) is pleased to announce that Benedict Haener, from Switzerland, has won the 2026 Young Artist Award. Haener was selected from more than 60 applicants from a number of different countries. He receives an unrestricted cash prize of US$7,500.
Through the Young Artist Award, AJF supports new and exciting work that will inspire future developments in the field. The prize acknowledges promise, innovation, and individuality in the work of emerging jewelry artists aged 35 and younger. It is given every two years.
The winner and finalists were judged on originality, depth of concept, continuity of design, and quality of craftsmanship. This year’s jurors were 2024 Young Artist Award winner Bryan Parnham (from the US), Thereza Pedrosa (Italy and Netherlands), and Jimena Ríos (Argentina). Ríos founded Taller Eloi, a jewelry school in Buenos Aires. She works as an educator, curator, and editor. Pedrosa is an art historian, independent curator, author, and gallery owner with extensive international experience in contemporary art and jewelry. She describes Haener’s work as “innovative and masterful in its use of materials and techniques,” stating that Haener’s work “combines contemporary themes with notable depth, presented with an almost playful sensibility. Particularly compelling is the way it engages multiple senses, creating a perceptual experience that extends beyond the purely visual.”
The four finalists for this year’s prize are Corrina Goutos (US/Germany), Steven KP (US), Marie-Caroline Locquet (France), and Zhipeng Wang (China). The finalists each receive US$1,000.
For the third cycle in a row, the Young Artist Award competition is generously supported by collectors Karen and Michael Rotenberg, whose collection focuses on the innovative use of alternative materials by emerging talent and mid-career artists.
The winner and finalists are currently exhibiting their work at AJF member gallery PLATINA during Schmuck, the annual international art jewelry fair in Munich held this year from March 4–March 8, 2026. AJF thanks AJF board member Sofia Björkman, the owner of PLATINA, for providing this showcase. The winner and finalists will all be interviewed on AJF’s website over the next few months, and we look forward to sharing more about these talented artists with you.
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