I’ve always been a huge fan of truck art. People often get startled when I gasp mid-conversation in a car shrieking and pointing at a particularly stunning truck (the BEST I have ever seen have been on the Karachi-Ormara highway – these long haul truckers apparently have a very strong aesthetic and deep wallets).
I was particularly excited when I came across Mr. Haider Ali, truck artist extraordinaire. Starting in Nishtar Road Garden, Karachi he has exhibited in Washington DC (inaugurated by Colin Powell and The Prince Karim Aga Khan), the Museum of Luton England (home of the Bedford truck factory), the Peace Museum in Amratsar India and will be in Turkey next month. Courtesy his brother and manager Sher Ali, he has his own facebook page as well, displaying a wide variety of wall pieces as well as really fun furniture and crockery.
Where did his extraordinary story begin? Haider Ali hails from a family of painters. With origins in Jallandar, Southern Punjab India, Haider’s father migrated post-partition, starting the family business painting donkey carts, furniture, and even delved into cinema billboards in the 50s. Haider showed an interest in art, and started learning from his father when he was 7 years old. He worked on his first truck when he was 17 years, and hasn’t looked back since then – like his father, in addition to decorating trucks, he now makes miniature truck models, as well as traditional items used by truck drivers such as bowls, plates and kettles. While exhibiting at the Sheraton in 2001, he was invited to participate in a Truck Art exhibition in Washington DC, starting his foray into the global arena, which has literally spanned the world. He now has 40 students working with him across the world, with 5 employed with him in Karachi at present.
He hopes to promote truck art within Pakistan as well, and promote artists who have real world experience and not necessarily degrees. He has also very generously offered ART by Sadaf Rehman Facebook followers special discounted rates!
Here is a short video of him painting at Luton.
Watch my facebook page for upcoming photographs of his work, or simply contact him for an appointment:
Haider Ali : +92-300-2101329
Sher Ali : +92-345-6161700
Email: truck.artist@gmail.com
When I imagine placing Haider’s art I picture a white / neutral room with one central colour piece like this one:
If you need advice on whether a truck art piece is for you, contact me for an appointment on art@sadafrehman.com.
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Beautiful work!