Our Story - Studio Lel

Studio Lél is an interdisciplinary atelier based in Peshawar, Pakistan, founded in 1996 by Farhana Asad and now led by her daughter, Meherunnisa Asad. The studio is recognised for its innovative approach to stone inlay, merging the centuries-old technique of pietra dura with cloisonné, scagliola, verré églomisé, lapidary, and copper work to create contemporary expressions of material storytelling.

At its core, Studio Lél is more than an atelier- it is a space where art reshapes identity and heritage is reimagined. Working closely with local and displaced Afghan artisans, the studio fosters collaboration, ensuring that traditional knowledge evolves rather than fades. Through this interplay between past and present, Studio Lél’s work challenges conventional boundaries between art, design, and craft.

In the face of displacement and erasure, Studio Lél’s practice becomes an act of resistance- reclaiming identity through material and form. Rooted in the cultural and historical landscape of Peshawar, the studio’s work engages with Pashtun and Afghan narratives, embedding histories of migration and survival into each piece. Through this lens, artisanal traditions are transformed into powerful expressions of resilience.

Under Meherunnisa Asad’s artistic direction, the studio has expanded its global presence, showcasing at international art and design biennales and exhibitions, while continuing to draw inspiration from its deep ties to Peshawar. In recognition of its commitment to innovation and craftsmanship, Studio Lél received the Award for Excellence from the World Crafts Council in Bukhara (2024) and the Gates Foundation Award (2019). The studio remains dedicated to its ethos of transformation- where each piece carries a story of reinvention, defiance, and enduring craftsmanship.

Under Meherunnisa Asad’s artistic direction, the studio has expanded its global presence, showcasing at international art and design biennales and exhibitions, while continuing to draw inspiration from its deep ties to Peshawar. In recognition of its commitment to innovation and craftsmanship, Studio Lél received the Award for Excellence from the World Crafts Council in Bukhara (2024) and the Gates Foundation Award (2019). The studio remains dedicated to its ethos of transformation- where each piece carries a story of reinvention, defiance, and enduring craftsmanship.

Farhana Asad

Founder, Studio Lél

Farhana Asad is an artist, craftsperson, and the founder of Studio Lél, an atelier dedicated to reinterpreting the art of stone inlay. With a background in fine art and an intuitive connection to material, she has spent decades developing a distinct artistic language- one that embraces the raw beauty of natural stone while weaving together influences from diverse artistic traditions.

Born into a world where nature was a constant companion, Farhana’s earliest memories are of flower-filled fields and firefly-lit nights- an intimacy with the natural world that continues to shape her sensibility. Her creative journey has been guided by a deep curiosity about material and form, leading her to experiment with painting, stained glass, embroidery, and furniture design. Her approach is tactile and instinctive, drawn to imperfection and the hidden surprises within each slab of stone. She first explored inlay by translating a simple hibiscus flower into form, a moment that sparked a lifelong pursuit of discovery. While trained in fine art, she absorbed techniques from afar, drawn to the precision of pietra dura, the fluidity of cloisonné, and the philosophy of repair in kintsugi.

In 1996, she established Studio Lél in Peshawar, Pakistan, a city where histories of migration and craftsmanship intersect. What began as a small workshop evolved into a space for artistic experimentation, where traditional stone inlay met unexpected materials and methods. Working closely with local and displaced Afghan artisans, Farhana cultivated an environment where generational knowledge was not only preserved but expanded in new directions. At Lél, stone is transformed- fractures are celebrated, flaws become part of the story, and ancient techniques are reimagined for contemporary expression.

Farhana’s work is a testament to the power of reinvention. Over the years, she has challenged the idea that craft must remain static, instead approaching it as an evolving conversation between material, maker, and time. Through her practice, she has laid the foundation for a new way of thinking about stone inlay- one that transcends borders, embraces unpredictability, and honors both tradition and change.

Today, under the artistic direction of her daughter Meherunnisa Asad, Studio Lél continues to expand its reach while remaining rooted in the ethos of experimentation and resilience that Farhana first envisioned. As Technical Director, she remains an integral part of the atelier, refining techniques and deepening material knowledge. Her expertise continues to shape the studio’s approach, ensuring that each piece carries forward a legacy of craftsmanship while embracing contemporary innovation.

Meherunnisa Asad

Artistic Director, Studio Lél

Meherunnisa Asad is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice explores material storytelling as a means to reconstruct lost histories and reimagine identity. Born in Peshawar, Pakistan- a city shaped by migration and displacement- her work is deeply rooted in place, poetry, and the enduring resilience of her community.

The art of stone mosaic is at the heart of Asad’s practice, a discipline that reached its pinnacle in the 16th-century Florentine Renaissance, where Pietra Dura was revered as “painting in stone.” Expanding upon this tradition, she merges it with diverse art forms, including sculpture, verre églomisé (engraving on glass), scagliola (plaster inlay), cloisonné (enameling), lapidary (gem cutting), and intricate metalwork in copper and brass, cultivating what may be compared to a blossoming garden of techniques. Inspired by the composite painting traditions of Indian and Persian art, she layers imagery and precious materials to evoke narratives of memory, migration, and transformation- reimagining stonework as a dynamic, evolving language that bridges past and present.

Collaborating with both local and displaced Afghan artisans, Meherunnisa builds on a legacy of craftsmanship pioneered by her mother, Farhana Asad, over three decades ago. In her work, these artistic traditions are not merely an act of preservation but a form of resistance – a means of reclaiming lost narratives and reconstructing Pashtun identity on a global stage. Just as Pietra Dura assembles fragments of stone into intricate compositions, Meherunnisa seeks to bring together a community fractured by conflict, fostering spaces of healing, collaboration, and renewal. She pushes these art forms beyond their traditional contexts, shaping new visual languages that challenge the distinctions between craft and contemporary art.

Raised in an environment steeped in art, antiquities, and Peshawar’s historic bazaars, Meherunnisa developed a keen sensitivity to materiality and ornamentation. Her background as a conservation architect with the Aga Khan Historic Cities Program deepened her engagement with cultural heritage and its reinvention in the present. As Artistic Director of Studio Lél, founded by her mother in 1996, Meherunnisa has expanded its reach to international art and design biennales and exhibitions, bridging artisanal knowledge with contemporary artistic dialogues.

A Gates Foundation and World Craft Council award recipient, Meherunnisa holds degrees from the National College of Arts in Lahore and Pratt Institute in New York. She currently lives between Pakistan and Cairo.