ISLAMABAD: The Asian Study Group (ASG), in collaboration with Kuch Khaas, held a presentation on traditional Pietra Dura techniques.

From beautiful coasters to colourful tiles, stunning tabletops and other accessories, Pakistani entrepreneur Farhana Asad and her artisans have been producing meticulous works of art that utilise marble and semi-precious stones to produce stunning, intricate mosaic works in an explosion of colours.

The exclusive works of art involve the application of a unique 16th-century art form, Pietra Dura, an Italian phrase meaning ‘hard stone’.

In South Asia, a variation of the technique, known locally as Parchin Kari, can be seen in the magnificent Taj Mahal and the tomb of Itimadud Daulah (Agra India).

Also known for their fabulous inlay work are the Naulakha Pavilion in the Shish Mahal (Lahore Fort), the pillars of the Shish Mahal, the Cenotaph of Jahangir’s Tomb, Deewan-i-Khas in Lahore Fort, Moti Masjid and a fountain in Shalimar Gardens.

Farhana’s enterprise, LEL Inlay Craft, was founded almost 20 years ago when there was an influx of Afghan artisans in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa.

She narrates: “I was in the old city of Peshawar when I saw a beautiful piece of inlay work with an old Afghan refugee. When I asked him if he had more pieces he said yes and took me to his house where his sons were using the traditional techniques to make Pietra Dura bowls. I was inspired with what I saw and became a student of the Afghan artisans.”

The technique she tells us, took a winding path to Pakistan, “from 16th Century Florence the craft spread to Europe and from there it found its way to Catherine the Great’s Russia. Naturally from Russia it trickled down to Northern Afghanistan where the craftsmen started to do calligraphies in hard stone. Incidentally at the same time a variation of inlay work was being down in Mughal India as Shah Jahan the Magnificent built the Taj Mahal.”

Farhana said: “This is a craft which requires highly skilled labour and while the Pukhtun is always envisioned as a violent figure with a gun in his hand, these traditional crafts are his forte.”

With layer upon layer to reach the final product, zero-space mosaic is the decoupage of stonework. Farhana’s daughter Mehr Asad, a trained architect, joined her mother four years ago.

She says that the inspiration for their work comes from diverse source and of the pieces being displayed some were variants of traditional Afghan designs while one was inspired by a Versace pattern.

The effects of globalisation are apparent as we see traditional designs and oriental influence in motifs sitting side by side. Farhana added: “I prefer to work mainly with local stones and we use a lot of Lapis Lazuli, Jasper and Turquoise. We do, however, buy Malachite which is not mined here.”

Motoko Katae, a Japanese expatriate, said: “We have inlay work in Japan but that is on wood. I have only seen this stonework in Italy.”

Farhana says that she considers herself a student of art and has experimented with various forms but this particular one has the greatest appeal because of its challenging nature. “The inlay technique of using cut and fitted, highly-polished coloured stones to create images is extremely complex. The stonework, after the work is assembled loosely, is glued stone-by-stone to a substrate after having previously been sliced and cut in different shape sections; and then assembled together so precisely that the contact between each section was practically invisible.

The stones have grooves cut into the underside so they interlock almost like a jigsaw puzzle,” she explained.

Mehr added that they were showcasing their work at Index Dubai and the Verona Stone Expo, both very prestigious interior decorating shows and hoped to expand their own workshop by training more craftsmen and craftswomen.

Shewar Mohsin, Coordinator of the ASG Arts and Crafts Group, said: “We need to recognise the immense potential of Pakistani craftsmen and like diamonds they need to be polished and then showcased for their skills to shine.”