The late Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa (1919-2003) was known primarily for his architecture, but he also created a series of contemporary furniture designs throughout his five-decade practice. With regards to this custom built furniture, he was known to say “We did what was thought to be right in that moment.”
This “moment” is the culmination of political, economic, and social circumstances that shaped the Sri Lankan context within which Bawa worked: one of a closed economy, restricted imports, and a consequential reliance on locally-available materials. The Geoffrey Bawa practice produced a number of furniture designs as a result, namely lamps and chairs. Bawa and his associates worked with local craftspeople across disciplines and frequent collaborators to produce pieces embodying this innovative spirit, drawing inspiration from prevalent styles of the time.
An exhibition focusing on these designs and their role in the wider context of Bawa’s practice is now open in Colombo. Design in the Moment: Furniture by the Geoffrey Bawa Practice closely examines the histories and context of Bawa’s furniture designs and considers how they can be meaningful for contemporary use. This exhibition is a collaborative effort by the Geoffrey Bawa Trust and India-based furniture company Phantom Hands. Curated by architect and Chairperson of the Geoffrey Bawa Trust Channa Daswatte and Phantom Hands co-founder Aparna Rao, the exhibition interrogates the idea and process of reproduction through furniture designs, including the “Next-Door Café” Chair and the Saddle Chair. Phantom Hands’ Geoffrey Bawa Collection, a furniture collection offering re-editions of these designs and others from the architect’s practice, launched alongside the exhibition and will be available for purchase in 2025.
Design in the Moment: Furniture by the Geoffrey Bawa Practice will be on view at the newly-opened Geoffrey Bawa Space on 42/1 Horton Place, Colombo 07, between 13th December, 2024 and 31st May, 2025. The Geoffrey Bawa Space is open Wednesday through Sunday between 12 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. except major holidays. A series of curatorial tours and public programming will take place throughout the duration of the exhibition. More information is available on geoffreybawa.com and phantomhands.in.
Phantom Hands
Phantom Hands is a craft and design driven furniture maker based in Bangalore, India. Founded in 2014 by Aparna Rao and Deepak Srinath, their collections include re-editions of 20th century classics, as well as contemporary objects created in collaboration with acclaimed furniture and textile designers. Made by skilled artisans from traditional craft communities, Phantom Hands’ products are available globally via leading design galleries and furniture showrooms in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.
Geoffrey Bawa Trust
The Geoffrey Bawa Trust is a non-profit organization with charitable status in Sri Lanka that was established in 1982 by the late architect, with the objectives of furthering the fields of Architecture, the Fine Arts and Ecological and Environmental Studies. Since the architect’s passing in 2003, the Trust has sustained year-round public programmes comprising lectures, educational tours, scholarships, residencies and exhibitions which engage broader discourse on the built environment and the arts in both Sri Lanka and overseas.
