Lok Virsa making efforts to promote truck art a centuries’ old craft tradition

ISLAMABAD, Jun 28 (APP):National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) is making efforts to promote truck art by organizing special workshops and annual summer art camp for children.
“Pakistan children have a great potential to learn knowledge about craft heritage of the country, “ said Master artisans Habib ur Rehman, adding that they were keen to know each and everything involved in the process.
“They have even given me ideas and suggestions how can I make new innovations in my profession I tried to transfer my knowledge to them in an interactive manner” he added.
“Truck art” is slowly becoming a global phenomenon as it continues to inspire gallery exhibitions in several western countries. Truck art takes two forms— murals or painted scenes and “decoration pieces.” The 74-year old man has devoted a major part of his life for the continuance of this centuries’ old craft tradition. He is not only keeping this art alive but is also transferring it to future generations.
He has trained a group of young boys residing in his locality who are eager to learn traditional and modern techniques of making this unique art.
Answering a question about the interest of common man in this art, Habib-ur-Rehman was listened saying “this art fascinate people, especially women and children and they are buying small items as decoration pieces for their homes.
Decorations are not done only on trucks and buses but on all kinds of vehicles like tankers, mini-buses, trucks, rickshaws, tongas and even donkey carts moving on the road throughout the country, he added.
Surprisingly, the artists and artisans involved in this special art are not graduated from art schools or colleges.
Yet they perform their incredible work skillfully, albeit in a native style; using their imagination and inspiration to create fantasies and dreams, the colours and embellishments of which are deeply rooted in Pakistan’s rich folklore.
Most vehicles are decorated from the top to bottom with no space left blank down to the hubcaps and fuel containers. The main themes of the paintings are dictated by the choice of the owners reflecting their cultural heritage and tastes.