The newest book from Christopher Herwig, author of the celebrated Soviet Bus Stops series, shifts to a new part of the world but a related subject: the vivid and varied decorated vehicles of India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Trucks and Tuks celebrates an art form that, while present worldwide, arguably reaches its pinnacle of devotion and self-expression in South Asia, with vehicles ranging from tiny two-seaters to massive road-spanning lorries displaying a wide array of styles. The subject matter portrayed in mural-like paintings varies widely as well, ranging from detailed abstract patterns to larger-than-life depictions of gods and pop figures that evoke the airbrushed excesses of the 1970s.
The materials and media used vary as greatly as the subjects portrayed: surfaces are covered in paint, ink, and reflective mirrors; truck interiors are hung with bright fabrics and tassels; sculptures of metal and wood stand in for hood ornaments and roof racks. Some of the larger vehicles are nearly temples on wheels, adorned with intricate brushwork and architectural features such as stairs and eaves.
Like Herwig’s previous subject—the bus stops of the former Soviet Union, with their vernacular architecture and hand-painted surfaces—handcrafted vehicle customizations are an increasingly rare artform. Squeezed by government-mandated standardization on one side and cheaper mass-produced vehicle parts on the other, the ranks of truly unique customized vehicles are decreasing. Still, the examples that remain are vivid and eye-catching enough to bring defiant bursts of folk-art color to increasingly drab roadways.
Trucks and Tuks: Decorated Vehicles of South Asia
Fuel Publishing
Hardcover, 208 pages, £26.95
