Craftsmanship Inside A Massive Truck Yard
In Pakistan, truck drivers can spend up to two years’ salary decorating their vehicles with colorful and ornate art. It is seen as a business investment, as potential clients are more likely to hire a truck that’s beautifully furnished. “The better the truck’s appearance, the better the services provided by it and the more reliable it is,” Elias explains. A well-decorated truck gives the customers the impression that it is well taken care of and will, therefore, be a dependable way to transport goods.
In Karachi alone 50,000 people are employed in workshops dedicated to the craft, with truck drivers willing to ensure their truck is better than the rest. They are not only used for transportation of goods but also for expression of art! Colorful paints, mirrors, bells, jangling chains, woods carved doors, motifs of animals or flowers and objects decorate the trucks.
Each truck is made in three phases and involves at least 13 crafts. The main frame is made by the welder (lohar), metalworker (show wala) and the denter (local word for a person who irons out dents; engine work is done by the mechanic (mistri) and the electrician (bijli wala); the base colour is given by the spray painter (rang saaz), and the calligrapher (likhai wala) writes poetry and other texts. Specialists of glasswork, metalwork and woodwork further adorn the vehicle – each with their own craft; chammak patti wala and the plastic wala, respectively, work with reflective tape work and decorations made of plastic. Seats are made by the upholster (poshish maker) who also decorates the truck’s interior with beadwork and other hangings. The trucking world appears inhabited by a diverse group of specialists, brought together by a common cultural and commercial endeavor.
My photographs reflect on the process, hard team work & skills it takes to create these incredible masterpieces.
