Truck art in South Asia

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Afghan truck

Truck painting is a popular form of indigenous art in Pakistan and other South Asian countries, featuring floral patterns and poetic calligraphy. Such trucks are also known by the slang term jingle truck.

General practice of truck decor

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Customised truck in Pakistan

Many trucks and buses are highly customized and decorated by their owners. External truck decoration can cost from $3,000 to $5,000. The decoration often contains elements that remind the truck drivers of home, since they can be away from home for two months. Decoration may include structural changes, paintings, calligraphy, and ornamental decor like mirror work on the front and back of vehicles and wooden carvings on the truck doors. Depictions of various historical scenes and poetic verses are also common. Outfitting is often completed at a coach workshop. Chains and pendants often dangle off the front bumper.

Decor style of major regions

Karachi is a major city center for truck art, though there are other hubs in Rawalpindi, Swat, Peshawar, Quetta and Lahore. Trucks from Balochistan and Peshawar are often heavily trimmed with wood, while trucks from Rawalpindi and Islamabad often feature plastic work. Camel bone ornamentation is commonly seen in trucks decorated by artists from Sindh.

Origin of term "jingle truck"

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A public transport bus in El Gouna, Egypt customised and highly decorated in Pakistani style

The term comes from United States military slang, coined by servicemen in Afghanistan, although it may date to the British colonial period. The term came to be because of the "jingle" sound that the trucks make due to the chains hanging from the bumpers of the vehicles.

The influence of truck art

Truck art has extended beyond the decoration and ornamentation of trucks into other forms and media.

Cars

Though cars are not traditionally decorated in South Asia, there are examples of cars embellished in a truck art style. In 2009, The Foxy Shahzadi, a 1974 VW Beetle decordated in a truck art style, traveled from Pakistan to France over a 25-day journey.

Fashion

The lively colors of Pakistani trucks have inspired multiple fashion designers. The Italian fashion company Dolce & Gabbana used truck art-inspired displays in a 2015 campaign. Although used more often on women's fashion, some men's clothing have been inspired by South Asian truck art.

External links

• Pictures of decorated Pakistani trucks
• Definition
• Flickr photos
• More Flickr photos
• US Military blog, nice photos
• CNN site

• http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-19292392