81 Designs and Studio Lél Present New Art Installation Inspired by Cross-Cultural Dialogue and the Commitment to Preserve Traditional Craft

The UAE-based social enterprise 81 Designs is proud to launch at the 16th edition of Abu Dhabi Art fair (20-24 November) its collaboration with the Pakistan-based artist collective Studio Lél. Interconnected – The Beacon of Light Collection features two sculptures resembling giant Misbahs — an exquisite string of beads that is used in Islamic culture for prayer, but also hold cultural and social significance. Created by combining traditional techniques and patterns from the UAE, Palestine, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Italy, this collection serves as a cultural bridge between European, Middle Eastern and South Asian crafts and aims to celebrate the rich heritage and masterful artisans of these regions.

Measuring more than 13.5 feet (411 cm) long, the two sculptures feature 33 large ‘beads’ each, some of which are decorated with Emirati Khoos patterns (representing woven palm leaves) and traditional Palestinian tatreez embroidery patterns (including those representing palm trees and olive branches). Both palms and olive branches hold the symbolic meaning of ‘peace’.

All of the high quality materials used to make the works were sourced from Pakistan. The first piece, titled “Nakhl” (Palm Tree), has been created using carved wooden spheres decorated using a bead art technique. Thousands of beads were handcarved using colored stone and hammered into the wood using copper nails. The natural grain of the wooden spheres became the defining artistic element and was partly overlaid with beads and partly left exposed to tell its own story.

The second piece, “Zeitoun” (Olive) is made of brass spheres decorated using a technique inspired by pietra dura (or parchin kari in South Asia), a highly skilled art form of inlaying polished precious and semi-precious stones. Green serpentine rock has been chosen for this Misbah and each piece was fitted into the brass using repoussage (a metalworking technique where hammering creates a design in low relief). For both works, the large, sculptural ‘beads’ are threaded together with handmade and organically dyed rope. The intricate pieces took 14 highly skilled artisans four and half months to create.

The works are presented as part of Abu Dhabi Art’s Community Partners programme, an initiative of the Department of Culture & Tourism Abu Dhabi.

Nadine Maalouf, Co-founder of 81 Designs, says: “These intricately crafted works tell many stories by incorporating elements and symbols found in traditional craft. Each piece serves as a cultural bridge, connecting the rich histories and traditions of both regions. They illuminate the creative cultural exchange between the Middle East and South Asia, showcasing how these interwoven communities have influenced and inspired one another over time.”

This is 81 Designs’ first time working with a South Asian artist. The social enterprise began as a platform for refugee, displaced, and low-income female artisans specializing in tatreez to find paid work on projects led by an artist from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It has since expanded to support those working in other heritage crafts, such as carpentry, metalwork and pottery, and artists from other regions who share the enterprise’s passion for reviving traditions and supporting communities.

Studio Lél was founded by the artist Farhana Asad and is now led by her daughter Meherunnisa Asad. 81 Designs, which was co-founded by mother and daughter Nesrine El Tibi Maalouf and Nadine Maalouf, is proud to partner with a similarly matrilineal organization that exemplifies the ways that craft, tradition and legacy is passed down through generations of family.

Meherunnisa Asad, Artist, Designer and Artistic Director of Studio Lél, says: “When Nadine invited me to imagine two giant sculptures resembling Misbahs under the theme of inter-connectedness, I saw this as an excellent opportunity for a rediscovery and celebration of the ancient technique of pietra dura (stone marquetry). This 16th century Florentine art, which traveled across Europe, the Middle East, to South Asia, is mastered at Studio Lél to create contemporary art works that resonate across cultures and also push the envelope of fine craftsmanship and innovation. Furthermore, I am pleased to announce that with these works, for the first time, we have gone beyond our home base in Peshawar and collaborated with artisan workshops reviving indigenous crafts in other parts of Pakistan.”