“What was the last thing that you made, and how did it make you feel?”

Earlier this year in March 2016, five successful graduates from BA Hons Architecture and BA Hons Jewellery and Silversmithing who were awarded Tandemize travel fellowships through the British council, travelled to Sri Lanka for a one-week residency hosted by the University of Moratuwa following a mutual residency in the UK in January. The theme of the residency was to explore possibilities for cross-cultural collaboration by looking at the effects of migration (people, ideas, skills) on architecture, design, craft and fashion.

The Tandemize group spent two days learning traditional Beeralu techniques from a mother and daughter from Magalle. It is a village recognised for its lace-making traditions, but this heritage is slowly being lost for various reasons, including the ongoing economic impact from the tsunami in 2005.

The Tandemize group took their experiences from learning this traditional craft, and translated it into a public-participation art event; asking the public, “What was the last thing that you made, and how did it make you feel?”

The event was held in Galle Fort, which is on the southern coast of Sri Lanka; a part of the country where Sri Lanka’s colonial heritage is preserved in its buildings and artefacts.

Tandemize will host an exhibition and run the public–participation event in the Bank Space at The Cass from 4 - 7 May 2016 as part of the London Craft Week 2016 programme.

Participants:

Danielle Devoglio: BA Hons Architecture / The Cass
Eeva Sarlin: BA Hons Architecture / The Cass 
Josie Wood: BA Hons Jewellery and Silversmithing / The Cass
Reham Elwakil: BA Hons Architecture / The Cass 
Roxanne Reynolds: BA Hons Jewellery and Silversmithing / The Cass 
Buddhini Irusha: BA Hons Design / University of Moratuwa 
Poorni Rathnamalala: BA Hons Design / University of Moratuwa 
Subhani Senarathna: BA Hons Design / University of Moratuwa 
Vathsala Gunasekara: BA Hons Design / University of Moratuwa 
Yasoda Abeysiriwardana: BA Hons Design / University of Moratuwa 

Mah Rana Project leader, Curator Tandemize Senior lecturer and MA Jewellery Course Leader.

Exhibition Details: 

The Cass, Bank Space

59-63 Whitechapel High Street
London E1 7PF

Open 4 - 6 May, 11-6PM and 7 May, 11-5PM 

The exhibition will also form part of the Fox and Squirrel's 'From Huguenot to Hipster' walk as part of London Craft Week. The walk will conclude at the Bank Space, where a public participation project will be hosted by the Tandemize participants.  To register, visit the London Craft Week page here