▁and ▁became ▁a ▁pione er ▁in ▁the ▁field ▁throughout ▁the ▁region . ▁ ▁She ▁has ▁established ▁her ▁design ▁studio ▁in ▁Be ir ut ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁Kar en ▁Che k erd j ian ' s ▁work ▁is ▁both ▁inspired ▁by ▁Lev antine ▁trad itions ▁and ▁motiv ated ▁by ▁challeng es ▁pos ed ▁by ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁industry ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁The ▁limited ▁tradition ▁of ▁product ▁manufact uring ▁in ▁Leb anon ▁made ▁her ▁focus ▁shift ▁towards ▁new ▁ways ▁of ▁creating . ▁Che k erd j ian ▁explains ▁that ▁meaning ▁is ▁necessary ▁in ▁her ▁work ▁for ▁it ▁not ▁to ▁remain ▁purely ▁about ▁functionality ▁and ▁a est het ics . ▁Each ▁piece ▁of ▁her ▁work ▁is ▁connected ▁in ▁some ▁way ▁to ▁the ▁piece ▁before ▁it . ▁Each ▁piece ▁she ▁conce ives ▁is ▁the ▁result ▁of ▁close ▁collaboration ▁and ▁constant ▁interaction ▁with ▁craft s men . ▁ ▁Che k erd j ian ▁expl ores ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁function - based ▁met am orphism . ▁Her ▁objects ▁are ▁in ▁a ▁perpet ual ▁state ▁of ▁change ▁and ▁mut ation . ▁Mult if ac ed ▁shapes ▁and ▁full ▁volumes , ▁precise ▁finish es , ▁are ▁the ▁common ▁denomin ator ▁of ▁her ▁cre ations . ▁ ▁She ▁has ▁taken ▁part ▁in ▁several ▁international ▁exhib itions , ▁amongst ▁which ▁U top i ▁( C open hagen ), ▁Bey ond ▁the ▁M yth ▁( a ▁pan - Europe an ▁show ), ▁Prom os edia ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁( Mil an ), ▁Northern ▁L ights ▁(