In our latest Collector profile, Udayshanth Fernando takes us on a tour of his home, sharing the stories of the artworks & antiques he has collected over the past four decades. In this unique setting, art, design, and storytelling merge with elegance and precision, displaying his passion for designing interior spaces with the eye of a seasoned connoisseur.
Udayshanth J. Fernando, was born in 1949 in Colombo, Sri Lanka and is more commonly referred to as Shanth; meaning inner peace in Sanskrit. At the age of 19 he moved to the Netherlands and furthered his experience in the field of hospitality which included a stint at the famed Pulitzer Hotel in Amsterdam. Shanth then moved to Australia with his European wife, Angelika and continued his work in hospitality working at the Hyatt in Kingsgate. In 1982, Shanth launched his first design business ‘Art of Play’, wholesaling and designing children’s toys and hand-painted ceramics.
With a passion to develop the Sri Lankan craft industry he began designing and manufacturing the product range in Sri Lanka. In 1987 he established his signature monochrome batik designs and introducing a contemporary aesthetic to local Sri Lankan craft thereby redefining Sri Lankan design. To date, the brand features an international standard while retaining a truly Sri Lankan identity at its core.
