{"product_id":"trucks-tuks-decorated-vehicles-of-south-asia","title":"Trucks \u0026 Tuks: Decorated Vehicles of South Asia","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA celebration of the Indian subcontinent through its intricately adorned trucks and tuks\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhite stallions and exotic birds frolic around a waterfall, glamorous Bollywood stars sing, a sunset-silhouetted couple bathe in the ocean--such 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.\u003cbr\u003eOver the course of four years, photographer Christopher Herwig (author of Fuel's \u003ci\u003eSoviet Bus Stops\u003c\/i\u003e series and \u003ci\u003eSoviet Metro Stations\u003c\/i\u003e) 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 from \u003ci\u003eBatman\u003c\/i\u003e. The designs reflect a driver's 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 a result of government directives, alongside the proliferation of cheap, mass-produced decorations, this vibrant cultural expression is in decline, making this project all the more vital.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eChristopher Herwig\u003c\/b\u003e is a Canadian photographer and videographer currently based in Sri Lanka.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Unity Books","offers":[{"title":"Trucks \u0026 Tuks: Decorated Vehicles of South Asia","offer_id":45443289120965,"sku":null,"price":66.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0625\/6679\/3413\/files\/978-1-7398878-8-9.jpg?v=1764807107","url":"https:\/\/unitybooks.myshopify.com\/products\/trucks-tuks-decorated-vehicles-of-south-asia","provider":"Unity Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}