Breathing New Life Into India’s Disappearing Truck Art

The 5.5 million kilometer-long road network of India is nothing short of an art gallery. Truck art has been a traditional art form in India for generations of truckers who spend 60% of their lives on the road. Many truck drivers find solace in their art — using it to pay homage, voice their feelings, or even just to remember their home.

But unfortunately, truck art is a dying tradition that directly benefits the easier and cheaper options: stickers and pre-painted trucks. As a result, the next generation won’t be able to experience and see the beauty of these visual stories.

Farid Bawa grew up watching his grandfather paint all over these trucks, but over the years he saw this beloved tradition disappear. That’s what prompted him to develop All India Permit, a community that supports truck artists in reviving and restoring their traditional truck art.

What All India Permit does is provide these artists with the necessary resources to make their art, including the same canvas material (Cold Rolled steel sheets) as the material used to make the truck panels. After they are done, their creations are put on the market open for anyone to buy and better yet, they collect all their earnings. This reconciliation between the artists and their art is significant for their livelihood, moral and maybe more importantly, for future generations to come.