Pakistan’s Incredible ‘Jingle Truck’ Art Is In A League All Of Its Own

We’re all familiar with the bold statements of Indian trucks, there’s no way you can step out your front door without the words ‘Horn OK Please’ assaulting your eyes at every turn. While there is lots of love for our truck art creations closer to home, Pakistan has taken this ‘artform’ to a new level entirely. As you attempt to simultaneously process the vibrant colours, the intricate line work and the individual flair there’s no denying that their trucks aren’t mere vehicles anymore. They are moving works of art.

Most of these trucks can be seen around the main city of Karachi but they span the entire breadth of Pakistan. The practice of painting trucks prior to long journeys is thought to date back to the 1920s when the paintings were created as appeasements for the gods, much like decorating a shrine or temple. With the passing of time however, the decor became less religion-centric and became shrines to a whole new brand of heroes.
There’s some debate regarding the origin of the term ‘jingle truck’ some say it’s a phrase invented by American servicemen on duty in Afghanistan. Others believe it dates back to the British Colonial era. One thing that everyone agrees on though is that it was coined to describe the sound of the rattling chains hanging down on the front bumper.

Even more shrouded in mystery is the identity of the first truck painter in Pakistan. A New-Zealand based artist and photographer Peter Grant believes that the practice dates back to the days of the Raj when craftsmen decorated the horse-drawn carriages to attract passengers. This prospect while undoubtedly charming, lacks credibility. Saima Zaidi in her book Mazaar, Bazaar: Design & Visual Culture in Pakistan proposed that the elaborate decorations appeared only in the 1950’s, after the Partition of India. She suggests that Haji Hussain a descendant of court painters from Kutch, Gujarat was one of the first official truck painters adding simple stencils of birds and flowers at first before evolving it into a legitimate art form.

Modern trucks bear the images of everyone from political figures to popular actors and everything in-between. The most common themes are detailed floral and animal designs that cover every inch of the trucks both inside and out. Drivers put in hours of work and spend extravagant amounts of money to create their masterpieces so it’s not hard to see why these beautiful designs are the pride and joy of their owners. Truck art had simple roots but it has become a highly popular design trend that is being used not only on other vehicles but on all sorts of home furnishings, just in case you wanted a way to bring some of that truck style into your own house. As the artists draw inspiration from the world around them, these designs are forever growing and changing which means that it constantly gains new admirers. Truly a unique graphic trend that only seems to be growing its own sense of individuality as time goes on.

 Images Sourced From here.