On 28th April 2023 the “Phool Patti: Jingle Journey” Truck Art Exhibition debuted in China. The Opening ceremony was held in the Silk Road International Art Centre in the city of Lang Fang. This exhibition is part of the The Year of Tourism Exchange Between China and Pakistan. The exhibition was curated by the Pakistan Embassy in China and the Beijing 12 12 culture. The art was done by Phool Patti a creative entrepreneur project led by Ali Salman Anchan. The purpose of this exhibition was to showcase and promote the gorgeous intricacies of Truck Art in Pakistan and how it is now a fundamental part of the Pakistani Experience, visible now, not only on the trucks on roads but also in popular culture such as fashion, crockery and furniture. All of these aspects were expertly displayed by the artists of Phool Patti in this exhibition.
The main attraction of the Truck Art exhibition: A Truck cabin with a elaborately decorated Taj and cabin with a beautiful side panel.
‘Truck Art’ is a Pakistani folk art which represents the dreams, inspirations and imagination of the people and the artists. It is now a popular and unique art of the world and has been used as a theme by many fashion designers for a wide range of products. Ornate, colorful and vibrant expressions of 'Truck Art' are more than just a cultural heritage. These moving, tangible pieces of art invite you to experience Pakistan's unique identity. It is a staple of the countries trucking industry and a source of pride for truckers to decorate their trucks as exuberantly as possible. The decoration of trucks in such a manner is often associated with good luck and a status symbol for the trucker on having a well decorated truck. The art consists of patterns made out of ornate flowers and leaves intertwining in striking patters to create borders, wreaths and crowns. The most striking part of a truck is its “Taj” (crown) which sits atop the cabin elaborately decorated with materials such as aluminum, plastic, wood and camel bone all these materials are expertly carved and shaped in intricate detail and used to decorate the truck.
The opening ceremony of the exhibition consisted of opening remarks by the Ambassador of Pakistan to China H.E Mr. Moin ul Haque, he talked about the rich culture of Pakistani truck art and how is a staple of Pakistani roads visible all over the country. After this the curators of this event, Ms. Yang Zhi and Ms. Yang Hui spoke about the event and portrayed their excitement to be a part of this journey showcasing the Truck Art of Pakistan. After the speeches of the Ambassador and the curators; young students of the Pakistan Embassy College Beijing performed the Chinese folk song Mo Li Hua and folk dances of the four provinces of Pakistan.
The art exhibit was a phenomenal depiction of the expertise of Pakistani artists and their attention to detail in conceiving the art on various vehicles such as a horse cart, scooter, rikshaw (tuk tuk), small car and the main attraction of the event a Trucks cabin and side panels. The exhibition also consisted a interactive aspect where the attendees were allowed to showcase their own artistic expression on a blank wall on how they perceive truck art. A dedicated section consisted of everyday objects decorated with truck art such as Pots and vases, everyday furniture such as chairs and tables, tea sets, tea pots, oil lanterns, and ornamental storage boxes sundook. The exhibition also had a unique exhibit called Mapping Truck art in Multidimensional space. Using projection technology the section was divided into three scenes; floral jungle, natural landscape and animals. Aimed to provoke thought on the harmony in which humans and nature coincide while also contemplating on the impacts of ecology and environment.
Over all the exhibition was a great success attended by the Pakistani community, the Chinese enthusiast and Ambassadors as well as diplomats from numerous other nations such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Azerbaijan. The artists did a phenomenal job with creating such endearing show of such a beautiful part of Pakistani culture. The Pakistan Embassy to China and Beijing 12 12 culture managed the event in a superb manner. Surely an event to remember.
Essam Waqar
Essam is a student, he loves photography and writing, in his free time he writes blogs about different topics.