Textile designer and technologist Chandramani Thenuwara honoured by Textile Institute of UK

Chandra posing with the award against the picturesque view of the Salford Quays, Manchester

Chandra flanked by Textile Institute UK Chairman Helen Rowe and Textile Institute Sri Lanka Section Chairman Prof. Rohana Kuruppu

By Prasad Abu Bakr

Sri Lankan textile designer and Chartered Textile Technologist Chandramani Thenuwara was bestowed with The Institute Medal 2019 for Design at the 109th AGM and Awards of the Textile Institute UK, the institute that conducts Charter exams by Royal Charter. 

The award, which is a first for Sri Lanka, is given to professional designers or group of designers who have devoted themselves to and made substantial contributions in the field of textile design and design management.

The medal was presented to her by Textile Institute UK Chairman Helen Rowe, in the presence of Textile Institute Sri Lanka Section Chairman Prof. Rohana Kuruppu during a ceremony held at The Lowry, Salford Quays, Manchester, UK, recently. She was proposed and nominated for this award by Professor Kuruppu, FTI. C.Text, Head of Brandix College Ratmalana.

Incidentally, the  saree that Chandra wore for the event (as seen in the attached pictures) was from her original collection of Shaded Spectrum Colour sarees which proved to be the turning point for saree sales for the Department of Small Industries in the 1980s. It is evident that her method of shaded hand-woven colour is still being woven in myriad different colours throughout the hand weaving industry of Sri Lanka and is now one Category of Design for which an award is given at the Annual National Award Event. 

Her personal collection of fabrics designed by her, including these sarees, has been donated to the National Museum Colombo by her and students can access this for their research work via the Museum Director.

Chandra made it a point to emphatically mention the fact that her design work was translated into fabric entirely by the skilled hand weavers of Sri Lanka – this is why, she states, she dedicated her last solo exhibition to them, making this an international award for them as well.

Chandra has been the recipient of many awards and accolades throughout her career.

She was the first-ever Sri Lankan woman to qualify abroad as a Chartered Textile Technologist and went on to become the first Sri Lankan woman Fellow of The Textile Institute UK. 

She was felicitated by the University of Moratuwa Department of Integrated Design ‘In Appreciation of your Lifetime Contribution towards the field of Design’ at the grand finale, the Graduation Fashion Show of their prestigious event Design Week 2018 at Independence Arcade.

Chandramani spent most of her life throughout her career working with rural weavers and university students alike.

 She had a rare talent in combining her vast creative talent in art which she accumulated as a student of Cora Abraham with her academic education and knowledge she received to qualify as a Charted Textile Technologist in England. 

Upon returning home she worked tirelessly in imparting her acquired knowledge among a large number of rural women who were making a living by working at various weaving centres situated in many parts of the country. This she did by making her services available to the Department of Small Industries as a Textile Designer where she was responsible for lifting the standards and innovation of hand-weaving design of the entire State handloom industry, and also extending her services towards educating the new generation of textile/fashion designers.

She has won the Governor's Prize for best results in 1968 (Salford College of Technology, UK) and a National Award for ‘Immeasurable Service to the Handloom industry in Design and Creativity’ in 2017 by the Department of Textile Industries, Sri Lanka. She has also been awarded the University of Moratuwa’s Lifetime Award for 17 years of continuous service to textile design education at the Department of Integrated Design, which she received in 2018.

A book titled ‘Hand-woven Heritage’ in 2012 was gifted to Rosmary Crill, the Curator of Textiles of the Victoria & Albert Museum for their library. A video can be accessed on YouTube.

Solo textile exhibitions she has held are as follows:

Woven Colour 1 – Sponsored by the British Council and the Textile Institute Sri Lanka Section in 1987. Woven Colour 11 – Sponsored by the Barefoot Gallery in 1996.

Woven Colour 111 – Sponsored by Goethe Institute in 2006.

Woven Colour IV – Sponsored by Goethe Institute as part of the Colombo Design Week in 2009.

Woven Colour V – Sponsored by the Theertha International Artists’ Collective 2010.

She is currently a Visiting Lecturer in the Fashion/Textile Design Degree Course at the Department of Textile and Clothing Technology of the University of Moratuwa. 

She is also the Honorary Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Cora Abraham Art Classes for children.