Shehan Anton Fernando Preserves Printing History by Re-Commissioning an 1898 Albion Iron Printing Press
29 August 2025: August 4, 2025, marked an important day for the printing industry. A long-forgotten piece of printing history came back to life at the University of the Visual and Performing Arts, Colombo, as the 1898 Albion iron printing press manufactured by Harrild & Sons was officially re-commissioned. The event, hosted by the Faculty of Visual Arts, marked a memorable milestone in Sri Lanka’s printing heritage as well as education.
The driving force behind this restoration has been Shehan Anton Fernando, CEO, SAF Screen Tech, consultant and visiting lecturer at the College of Screen Printing, whose commitment is to preserving printing history and turning that long-held aspiration into reality. Shehan’s vision, combined with the collaborative effort of all the lecturers, students of the Department of Printmaking and his friends has turned the 1898 Albion Press into a living functional historical tool.
Shehan Fernando, who spearheaded the restoration process, shared, “Six years ago, on the day I first stepped into our department, my eyes fell upon this old and historically valuable printing press. At that moment, a thought passed through my mind – that someday, somehow, I would bring this machine back to life and restore it to a condition suitable for use by future generations of students in their study of the printing arts, and then donate it back to the department. That very thought, which came to me on that day, began to take form on February 21, 2025, and by August 4, 2025, it had become a reality. I feel a quiet pride and heartfelt joy in having been able to accomplish this. Likewise, I consider it a personal triumph to have been able to contribute – with my own hands – to the preservation of the legacy of printing, preventing it from fading away and ensuring its continuity for decades to come for the benefit of future generations.”
In effect, history and modern technology were united within the Department of Printing Arts on August 4, 2025. The event was graced by several distinguished attendees including Prof. Rohan Nethsinghe, Vice Chancellor of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts; Dr. I.M. Thathsara Ilangasinghe, Dean of the Faculty of Visual Arts; Prof. Chandraguptha Thenuwara; Prof. Susiripala Malimbada; Senior Lecturer K. Mahesh Tharanga, Head of the Department of Printmaking; Dinesh Mervyn, CEO of JDC Printing Technologies (P) Ltd. (Committee member at Sri Lanka Association of Printers) and Keith Schekkerman, a renowned letterpress printer, collector and conservator of letterpress machines and equipment from Australia. Also in attendance were all the lecturers from the Department of Printmaking, the heads of all Departments within the Faculty of Visual Arts. The gathering also included university staff members and students, whose presence highlighted the collective academic and creative spirit behind the restoration.
This event represented a powerful significance not only on heritage but also on technology and education as it serves as a living symbol of historical craftsmanship that bridges the gap between past and present in both visual communication and graphic arts.
shehananton@yahoo.com
