The Artists for Artists (A4A) Production Fund was initiated in 2021 by Udayshanth Fernando Foundation in association with Saskia Fernando Gallery, to ensure that young and aspiring art practitioners can continue to engage in creative pursuits irrespective of the limitations presented by the economic crisis in Sri Lanka. It was conceived as an accessible alternative to more competitive regional and international opportunities and to fill a void of locally available options for art practitioners. The initiative aims to create a homegrown environment that encourages art practitioners to push the limits of their creative potential and continue researching and developing new bodies of work.

In keeping with the gallery’s objective of identifying alternative methods of fundraising, thirty leading and emerging artists were invited to interpret a ginger jar for the second edition of the A4A Production Fund. Inspired by the artfully crafted ginger jars that were first introduced to Sri Lanka by Qing dynasty traders along the Silk Route, the artists were asked to transform the ginger jars into works of art.

Artists contributing to the second edition of the production fund include Chandraguptha Thenuwara, Charith Wijesundara, Chathurika Jayani, Fabienne Francotte, Gayan Prageeth, Hanusha Somasundaram, Hashan Cooray, Hema Shironi, Jagath Ravindra, Jagath Weerasinghe, J C Rathnayake, Kanesh Thabendran, Mika Tennekoon, Muhanned Cader, Muvindu Binoy, Namal Kumara, Nuwan Nalaka, Pradeep Thalwatte, Prageeth Manohansa, Priyantha Weerasooriya, Randika de Silva, Ruwan Prasanna, Sameera Kalupahana, Sanjeewa Kumara, Sivasubramaniam Kajendran, Sujeewa Kumari, Susiman Nirmalavasan, Thisath Thoradeniya, Thujiba Vijayalayan, and Yuwantha Yasas