Indian, Pakistani artists celebrate truck art in Qatar

Doha: Mural and street artists from India and Pakistan breathed life into the walls of Al Mansoura Metro Station in Doha with their truck art for the FIFA World Cup, which kicks off this month in Qatar. Truck art is a psychedelic display of interesting slogans, floral patterns, calligraphy and a riot of vibrants colours, […]

Doha: Mural and street artists from India and Pakistan breathed life into the walls of Al Mansoura Metro Station in Doha with their truck art for the FIFA World Cup, which kicks off this month in Qatar.

Truck art is a psychedelic display of interesting slogans, floral patterns, calligraphy and a riot of vibrants colours, usually practised in India and Pakistan.

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The initiative was a part of the annual JedariArt programme launched by Qatar Museums, wherein they partnered with art groups — All India Permit from India and Phool Patti from Pakistan — to celebrate the truck art form.

The 23X33 feet mural art stand adjacent to each other with the Indian mural displaying famous truck slogans like, “dekho magar pyaar se”, and Horn OK please.

It showcased motifs and slogans in Hindi, English, Bengali, Punjabi, Arabic, Urdu and Telugu, inspired from the Indian trucks.

The Pakistani mural portrayed nature and its various elements with the message of Qatar-Pakistan Friendship written in the centre.

“The artwork also reflects the ethnic diversity at Al Mansoura, Doha. We are thankful to Qatar Museums for celebrating Indian and Pakistani truck art and helping it travel across borders,” Farid Bawa, artist and founder of All India Permit, told Doha News.

The All India Permit was formed with the aim to revive, preserve and promote the beautiful truck art of India, according to Bawa, who saw the plight of truck artists first-hand, as his grandfather ran a transport business.

“We have tried to portray the beauty of Pakistan’s heritage through our art form on the Mansoura walls. The truck art mural is the embodiment of Phool Patti’s dedication to the cause of promoting Pakistan’s rich heritage and culture,” Ali Salman Anchan, artist and founder of Phool Patti, told The Peninsula.

This year, Qatar Museums has over 30 public art installations planned to be placed in different spots across the country for the FIFA World Cup, Doha News reported.

Participants from India included artists Bawa and Akhlaq Ahmad (Shabbu), and Ali Salman Anchan, Mumtaz Ahmad, Muhammad Amin from Pakistan.

The event also saw participation from local artists, Amal Serhan, Abdulrahman Ahmadi, Maya Attia and Lee Baker.