TRUCKS AND TUKS

lt:pgt:lt:span class`a-text-bold`gt:A celebration of the Indian subcontinent through its intricately adorned trucks and tukslt:/spangt:lt:/pgt:lt:pgt:White stallions and exotic birds frolic around a waterfall, glamorous Bollywood stars sing, a sunset-silhouetted couple bathe in the oceansuch are the images that adorn the trucks and tuks of the Indian subcontinent. These utilitarian vehicles provide a fertile canvas for the vernacular artists whose color-saturated creativity covers every spare surface.lt:brgt:Over the course of four years, photographer Christopher Herwig (author of Fuelsnbsp:lt:span class`a-text-italic`gt:Soviet Bus Stopslt:/spangt:nbsp:series andnbsp:lt:span class`a-text-italic`gt:Soviet Metro Stationslt:/spangt:) travelled 10,000 kilometers in his quest to record this overlooked art form. He has documented the characteristics of each region: from Pakistan in the north, where intricately painted trucks often have a curved wooden peak at the front, symbolizing a princess tiara, to Sri Lanka in the south, where tuk tuks might equally be painted with holy deities or the Joker fromnbsp:lt:span class`a-text-italic`gt:Batmanlt:/spangt:. The designs reflect a drivers identity, faith and aspirations and span a bewildering range of themes: ideals of masculinity might be intertwined with expressions of love and longing, while bold typography urges drivers to blow their horns or promotes a campaign for the education of girls. Sadly, as ...