The unique truck art creativity on different utensils, wall hangings and other items captured attention of visitors at the ongoing Lok Mela being held at Shakarparian under the aegis of Lok Virsa.
In the beautiful cultural pavilions erected at the festival, master craftsman Habib-ur-Rehman is seen actively demonstrating the skill of truck art, which greatly fascinates the visitors.
The 74-year old man has devoted a major part of his life for the 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.
Habib-ur-Rehman expressing his views on his work said, “This art fascinates people, especially women and children and they are buying small items as decoration pieces for their homes.”
Lok Virsa Executive Director Khalid Javaid on the occasion remarked that purpose of inviting truck art painters at the festival was to revive this art, which was once at peak and but now was threatened to vanish.
The festival will give artisans related to truck at an opportunity to show their talent to the visitors and get them acquainted about their craftsmanship.
Decorations were not only done on trucks, buses but also 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 were not graduates from art schools or colleges. Yet they performed their incredible work skilfully, albeit in a naive 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.
Colours used are extremely bring flaming orange, gleaming red, yellow, shocking pink, an intense emerald green, the mystical and blue, combined with all shades of spectrum.
Intricate mosaics of coloured glass, mirror and bone coloured plastic pieces, as well as finely executed wood carvings adorn the superstructure of the cabins and cabin doors with flowers, leaves garlands, sometime birds, often designs composed of florescent coloured plastic tape.
A beautiful replica of the traditional truck driver’s hotel including food specially cooked and served to drivers can be seen at the display professionally designed by Lok Virsa.
The festival will continue till Sunday, 21 April daily from 11 am to 10 pm.
