The pandemic opened our eyes to many things but none more than the importance of conserving our planet and doing our best to hold on to what’s left of its natural gifts. The world, at least to some extent, has commenced efforts to adopt sustainable lifestyle practices and while global corporations may take their sweet time to catch up, at least we know what’s up.
In keeping with the times and changing tides, people have begun to seek out more sustainable methods of consumption – to be mindful of one’s purchases and less indulgent in their practices; to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Living sustainably does not simply mean we purchase a metal straw and use a tote bag. While small changes can surely go a long way, there are also other areas we often tend to overlook.
Artha by Buddhika Jayaratne is such an initiative that was born of keeping in mind these best practices, addressing the use of furniture and the potential of upcycling and breathing new life to what once was.
Buddhika Jayaratne of course needs no introduction, being an award-winning veteran Sri Lankan actor gracing both the film and teledrama industry with a career spanning well over two decades, having also dabbled in film direction and writing over the years.
Buddhika shared that Artha was his own ambitious effort in bringing about a new horizon in furniture design, creating purely handmade and personalised pieces of furniture drawn from pre-existing pieces of high-quality wood and breathing new life into each structure.
Artha origins
Buddhika shared that even as a schoolboy he had always maintained an artistic spirit. An old boy of Ananda College Colombo, he was a painter as a young boy and had received numerous accolades for his work. However, going into adulthood, he did not pursue painting. Choosing a different medium but nevertheless not straying from the arts, he adopted acting – something he says is an extension of his artistic expression stemming from his childhood.
The arts were gravely affected as a result of the pandemic, forced to take a back seat while the world attempted to heal itself. During this time, Buddhika shared that as artists, they were all forced to look elsewhere to sustain themselves; to look for means beyond art.
“I was always interested in furniture. There was a time when I was looking into manufacturing, however I gave up that idea back then. But with the pandemic, I once again revisited that idea and stumbled upon the idea of creating something different – something that was absolutely unique but also captured those values of conservation,” he said.
Buddhika noted that during the pandemic, there came a point where he was exposed to shocking news daily, of those known to him succumbing to the virus. He shared that while they were difficult times, there was also the realisation that society as a whole was experiencing somewhat of a reset, where we had all been brought to the same starting line. “Everyone was almost forced to set aside their egos and attitudes, realising that they were in the same position as everyone else and that what came first was survival,” he said.
With the time that he was afforded due to the pandemic, he was able to think of what he too could do for survival, but also how to have an outlet which allowed him to pursue his passions while staying true to his values. This is when Artha was born.
A one-man show
Having decided what he was going to do, Buddhika began to explore his options. He embarked on a journey to learn all there was to learn about the restoration of furniture, especially about historic timber and wood. He had a vision of creating rustic furniture, however the challenge was to do so with next to no waste while also producing unique and functional designs.
He shared that he went in search of old wood, hand-selected each and every item, and loaded it up in his car, since he was not able to spare any extra expenses at the time, and brought it all back to his workshop. He then went in search of a carpenter and met Saman, a teacher in carpentry at the National Crafts Council, and together they got to work.
Buddhika stated that while he would instruct Saman on the structure, following the establishment of the basic formation, the rest was in his own hands. He would sand it down, grind, and paint each individual piece of furniture.
Each item has a story to tell, said Buddhika, sharing with us an instance where he came across a beautiful antique pettagama, which at his point of discovery was merely a pettagama by name. He had noted that the item was at least 150 years old and had soon learned that it had journeyed all the way from Jaffna. It is now in the process of becoming a beautiful coffee table.
He also shared with us his creative process, noting that while of course his services were customisable, what he most meaningfully offered was a unique piece of art – an item which was a product of an organic process. “There may be times where I will cure a piece of wood, administer the paint, and then 24 hours later the wood may have responded to the paint in an unexpected way – then I will be inspired to go a different direction with the piece. It is an organic experience,” he said.
It will last you forever
While Artha provides unique and exclusive pieces with the promise that each will not be replicated, it also guarantees absolute longevity. “The long life and durability of artefacts is assured as Artha promises to use the strongest historic timber and wood, like milla, teak, jack, satinwood, and more,” shared Buddhika, adding that because they have stood the test of time each piece already came well-seasoned and was sealed with a guarantee that it would last a lifetime.
He shared that Artha could also step in on occasions where one may have a longstanding item in one’s household with great sentimental value, which however may not be an ideal fit with one’s surroundings. Artha is able to take in such an item and convert it into a dream design that will now allow one to hold on to the precious piece while also being able to give it a new identity and thereby a new life.
The concept is ultimately contributing to the bigger cause of minimising deforestation and protecting Mother Nature, said Buddhika. The revival of rustic and reclaimed furniture courtesy of Artha allows us to enjoy something special while also ensuring that we are not causing harm to our planet in the process.
Buddhika recognises that Artha may be for a niche market, noting that it is for those who think differently and may wish to surround themselves with unique pieces that are beyond the norm. He urges those who are free-spirited and in search of something somewhat different to reach out and explore what Artha has to offer.
For more information on Artha, please visit their Facebook page @arthabybuddhika
