Truck art in South Asia

A typical decorated truck in Pakistan; most Pakistani trucks have an augmented rooftop to increase space for decoration
Front and rear view of two trucks in India, showing detail of various decorative symbols used in Indian truck art

Truck art in South Asia is a popular form of regional decoration, with trucks featuring elaborate floral patterns and calligraphy.[1][2] It is especially common in Pakistan and India.[3]

During the War in Afghanistan, Pakistani decorated trucks that ran services between Pakistan and Afghanistan came to be known as jingle trucks by American troops and contractors who were deployed across the latter country.

  1. ^ Mughal, Owais (June 18, 2008). "Pakistan's Indigenous Art of Truck Painting". All Things Pakistan. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  2. ^ "Tracing Truck Art beyond 'Horn OK Please': India and Pakistan's Truck Art tradition". Creative Yatra. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2017. Largely a domestic art in its early years especially in North India and Pakistan, the ideation of beautifying trucks, lorries, and rickshaws with multifaceted patterns and calligraphy was common.
  3. ^ McKenzie, Sheena (5 August 2015). "Pimp my ride: The psychedelic world of Indian truck art". CNN. Retrieved 31 July 2017. For truckers in India, that means a kaleidoscope of colors, slogans, and intricately painted symbols that are as much about bling -- as shrewd business sense. ..."A better looking truck attracts more business," says Shantanu Suman, graphic designer and filmmaker behind 2013 documentary "Horn Please," which explores India's spectacular truck art tradition.