September 13, 2011 at 9:05 am

Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan

by twistedsifter

decorative pakistan truck art 7 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by MARK RYCKAERT

 

On the roads of Pakistan you will find moving art on every road in the form of decorated trucks and vehicles. With dazzling colours, ornate detailing and magnificent trinkets, these moving art exhibits inject your daily commute with Pakistani culture and symbolism.

Please enjoy this small sample of decorated trucks from Pakistan. There are many more examples of this amazing style, the Sifter will definitely be doing a follow-up post!

 

2.

decorative pakistan truck art 3 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by AFRAZOV

 

3.

truck art pakistan 5 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by IMRAN THE TREKKER (IMRAN SCHAH)
 

4.

truck art pakistan 11 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by RAJA QAISER

 

5.

decorative pakistan truck art 10 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by BAPTISTE MARCEL

 

6.

decorative pakistan truck art 8 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph via MISHARI MUQBIL

 

7.

truck art pakistan 7 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by IMRAN THE TREKKER (IMRAN SCHAH)

 

8.

truck art pakistan 1 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph via FAISAL RAFIQ

 

9.

decorative pakistan truck art 4 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by SYED KAZMI

 

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decorative pakistan truck art 6 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by AHTISHAM78

 

TRUCK ART IN PAKISTAN

 
– Truck art and decorations can cost upwards of $5,000. A hefty price when you consider the average income is around $2,100
– Many of the trucks are not owner-operated but belong to a fleet, where the owners authorize the decoration of the trucks by the individual drivers at their (the owner’s) expense. Owners of smaller fleets tend to take a much more active role in the truck art process
– The truck and bus painting and bodywork industry is a big business. In Karachi alone, there are more than 50,000 people working in small-family-run workshops comprised of apprentices and highly skilled artisans, each with unique styles and specialties
– The labour-intensive process of outfitting a truck can take six to ten weeks

[SOURCE]

 

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truck art pakistan 6 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by IMRAN THE TREKKER (IMRAN SCHAH)

 

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decorative pakistan truck art 5 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by IRINA ROSENBRAND

 

13.

truck art pakistan 13 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by RAJA ISLAM

 

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truck art pakistan 2 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by KNIZAM ARTWERK

 

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truck art pakistan 10 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by IMRAN THE TREKKER (IMRAN SCHAH)

 

TRUCK ART MOTIFS

 
Writer and photographer Jamal J. Elias has done extensive research on the decorated trucks of Pakistan and has categorized the motifs on trucks into five groups:

1. Idealized elements of life, such as the romanticized village, landscapes or beautiful women
2. Elements from modern life, such as pictures of political figures or patriotic symbols
3. Talismanic and fetish objects, such as horns, yak tails and items of clothing
4. Talismanically or religiously loaded symbols, such as eyes and fish
5. Obvious religious symbols and images, such as Buraq (a celestial horse that is believed to have carried the Prophet Muhammad on a spiritual journey to heaven)

One important piece of evidence for this idea is the difference between how the front and the back of the truck are decorated [a pattern that is common to most trucks and styles]. Unlike the front of the truck, which largely features powerful religious material, the back is whimsical (often humorous) and predominantly has motifs from modern life.

[SOURCE]

 

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truck art pakistan 3 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by KNIZAM ARTWERK

 

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decorative pakistan truck art 2 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by BRITTANY SWEET

 

18.

truck art pakistan 8 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by IMRAN THE TREKKER (IMRAN SCHAH)

 

19.

decorative pakistan truck art 9 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph via ITS ONLY CHAND

 

20.

truck art pakistan 9 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by IMRAN THE TREKKER (IMRAN SCHAH)

 

21.

truck art pakistan 4 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by ASIM LJAZ

 

22.

decorative pakistan truck art 1 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by BEBO WHITE

 

23.

truck art pakistan 12 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by CHAN’AD BAHRAINI

 

24.

decorative pakistan truck art 12 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph via BENNY LIN

 

25.

decorative pakistan truck art 11 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan
Photograph by UMAR ALI CHOUDHRY

 

 

 

 

If you enjoyed this post, the Sifter highly recommends:

 
The Evolution of the BMW Art Car

 

bmw art car roy lichtenstein 1977 Decorative Truck Art from Pakistan