Our Story - Studio Lel

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

The art of pietra dura ‒ also referred to as parchin kari in South Asia ‒ originated out of the ancient Roman opus sectile technique, later finding not only its revival but also reaching its highest pinnacle of development in the hands of the Florentines during the Italian Renaissance of the 16th century. To them, this act of the meticulous cutting and fitting of stones into intricate and exquisite forms was synonymous with the act of painting ‒ ʻpainting in stoneʼ. Within the century, pietra dura would find its spread extending to Russia, Iran and across the South Asian region, into Afghanistan, India and Pakistan, under the patronage of the Mughals.

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.

Three decades later, the collective that Asad had founded in her garage at home would attain global recognition for the stone master pieces she has created and her innovation within the art form- whereby she merges Pietra Dura with other ancient techniques such as Cloisonné, Scagliola, Verré Eglomisé and the more contemporary Resin Art.

It would also set the path for and inspire a whole generation of artists and designers after her, including her daughter Meherunnisa- a graduate of the National College of Arts, Lahore and Pratt Institute, NYC. Meherunnisa now heads the collective as artistic director and is an awardee of the Gates Foundation.

Lél has exhibited at major shows including PAD Paris, London Design Biennale, Design Miami, Milan Design Week, London Design Fair, Sharjah Art Week, Dubai Design Week and featured in leading publications such as the Financial Times, Asia Society, Vogue, Elle Decoration, Architectural Digest and Harper’s Bazaar.

Farhana Asad

Founder, Studio Lél

As a child of the 50’s and 60’s, nature, for me, is everything. We spent our days in fields of flowers and nights chasing fireflies. Nature is at the heart of everything I do- from my design aesthetic to the use of natural stone and in the way I embrace all its flaws, challenges, and glory in my work.

I have always had a curious mind- constantly seeking ideas and inspiration from all corners of the globe. I couldn’t travel to all of these wonderful places, so I combined elements of the most fascinating techniques, like the Chinese Cloisonne, Japanese Kintsugi and Italian Pietra Dura to create and build my own. I am continuously growing- like nature, my art has no boundaries, no striving for perfection, and no standing still. I have worked with many mediums on my artistic journey, but my heart is with the stone.The rough, rugged pieces, hiding unparalleled beauty. Stone is forever unpredictable and full of surprises- the inside of each tiny pebble and each giant boulder holds something unexpected.I love the feeling of creating something with my own hands.I was self-taught with no formal training in this area

My first piece was a Hibiscus flower I plucked on a walk. I drew it, painted it and cut out the stencil for the hand-made blades.There is no joy like the joy of using your hands to create something unique each and every time. We celebrate the flaws and turn them into something beautiful. My aim is to create awareness and preserve ancient techniques and art forms. I have dedicated my life to experimenting, building and evolving this art form, and the Lél aesthetic is the product of this continuous evolution.

Meherunnisa Asad

Artistic Director, Studio Lél

Meherunnisa Asad is an interdisciplinary artist and designer born in Peshawar, Pakistan. As someone who grew up in a region that is deeply affected by conflict with a massive influx of individuals displaced by the war in Afghanistan, Asad’s work is often inspired by ways in which people find space for beauty amidst unimaginable hardships. Her practice explores the storytelling power of art, while collaborating with local and displaced Afghan master artisans, and hence its potential for reshaping identity.

From an early age Asad was surrounded by art and antiques – the fabled bazaars of the historic city of Peshawar were a few kilometers away and many an afternoon was spent rummaging through shops with her mother and siblings. These childhood experiences piqued her interest in decorative art forms which was further crystalized later in life through her position as conservation architect at the prestigious Aga Khan Historic Cities program.

As Artistic Director, Asad has carried Lél, the collective founded by her mother three decades ago to international acclaim exhibiting at major biennales, art and design shows and featured in leading press.Asad is an awardee of the Gates Foundation. She is a graduate of the National College of Arts, Lahore and Pratt Institute, New York.

Art Forms

The works are created through a profound collaborative process between the artist and the craftsman, bridging the Florentine and Mughal traditions of pietra dura or parchin kari and simultaneously pushing the boundaries of the art form that is distinctive to the Lél collective.

Developed over a span of three decades at the Lél workshop is a unique merging of the art of stone inlay with other decorative techniques such as Lapidary (engraving and cutting of gems), Sculpting, Scagliola (plaster-pouring), Cloisonné (enameling), Verre Églomisé (glass etching), Copper/Brass making and Woodworking in a way that in its very expression may be compared to a blossoming garden of techniques.