Studio Lél

Founded in the early 1990s by Farhana Asad in Peshawar, Pakistan, Studio Lél is dedicated to preserving and re-interpreting the 16th century Italian and Mughal art of Pietra Dura or Parchin Kari.

Lélʼs founder, Farhana Asad, became fascinated by the technique when she came across an exquisite box in a bazaar in northern Pakistan 30 years ago. She eventually tracked down its maker, an Afghan craftsman who agreed to give her lessons in the technique in her garage at home. Ever since, the Lél artist collective that Asad founded has opened its doors to both local craftsmen and those escaping the war and worked to preserve the craftʼs knowledge and skills for future generations.