Daily Times

Truck art is among one of the popular forms of autochthonous art in Pakistan and other South Asian countries. The art in these respective countries consist of floral patterns, peacock paintings, poetry, and portraits of heroes, calligraphy and various type of slogans. After 1970’s, Truck art became popular around the globe, especially when American and European tourists came to Pakistan and took pictures of these highly decorated trucks. These pictures were then displayed at international level.

Truck art has been part of Pakistan’s culture since the Mughal era until now. The art consists of various themes as per the choice of the drivers where vibrant colours and frenzied designs are used to gear up the attention of everyone. It takes months to decor a truck and its cost around 30,000 to 50,000 in Pakistani rupees, however that’s a huge amount but truck drivers happily spend money to get their trucks decorated because they believed the more beautiful the truck will be, the more profitable it would be. Although the truck art looks similar in all trucks because of the vibrant colours but they actually vary from one another. Every truck art depicts their own culture such that Sindh truck art is far different from Baluchistan truck art, in term the choice of style, patterns, slogans and portraits and poetry.

Nowadays, truck art has become very popular and one of the main reason is their use of hilarious one-liners poetry. Truck art is also visible on different kinds of vehicles like rickshaws, cars and buses. Truck art from Pakistan has also gained international recognition and it has become excellent investment for them. We can witness this type of art used in fashion industry like in clothes, bags and shoes. The world well-known fashion brand, “Dolce and Gabbana” has been seen using truck art inspired rickshaws for the makeup accessories. In past, Pakistan’s three renowned artists decorated a Durga puja pandal in Kolkata, which was inspired by truck art. The countries like Turkey, New Zealand and Australia also intensified by this form of art.

In Pakistan, truck art is becoming very popular day by day, we can witness this art in interior of many hotels as they use its vibrant colours, slogans and poetry to attract their costumers, it is also visible in walls, crockery, paintings and as well as becoming popular in wedding themes. Truck art is not only restricted to vehicles but it is rooted in the folklore, ethos and landscape of Pakistan. Moreover, it continues to integrate and fuse with modern aesthetics elements with traditional ones.

The writer can be reached at hadiaaziz331@gmail.com