Zubair Qureshi
Ambassador of Indonesia Adam Mulawarman Tugio while taking a fancy to Pakistan’s truck art has turned his Toyota Prado into a small ‘truck’ painted with glowing pictures of Indonesia’s famous landmarks, animals, plants, etc.
The befitting expression for the vehicle in truck art language should be “Sarkon ki Shehzadi” or Princess of the Roads.
In an exclusive interview with Pakistan Observer’s team, Ambassador Tugio said he was intrigued to see these beauties rolling on highways and decided why not try it on his vehicle.
Painted in bright colours and traditional truck art, the Ambassador’s four-wheeler catches the eye of the visitors upon entering the embassy’s building. Landmarks of Indonesia like the National Monument of Jakarta (Monumen Nasional or Monas) and Shaivite temple in Bali are painted on the bonnet and the gates.
Likewise the critically endangered Sumatran tiger and Komodo dragon and the world’s tallest plant Titan Arum (almost 2.5 metres) known as Bunga Bangkai in Bahasa are also painted on the vehicle.
Pakistan’s national animal Markhor shows that the ambassador has good knowledge about our natural assets as well. The Markhor is an endangered member of the goat family and is found in the northern region of the country.
“I have personally supervised the artwork and taken every care that Indonesia with all its treasures of fauna and flora, art and culture, tradition and history is showcased on this automobile, ‘’ he said.
It took the truck artists a little more than two months to paint the beast. The masterly strokes have now turned the vehicle into a running picture gallery of the Pakistani and the Indonesian cultures. “We have strong bonds such as religion, culture, food and traditions that unite the people of the two countries,” said the ambassador.
Both Pakistan and Indonesia take pride in their history that goes back to the times of the Buddhist era. Like Pakistan, Indonesia also has a number of sites and temples which have been centres of attraction for the Buddhist monks for centuries, he said.
Ambassador Tugio said in Indonesia too, truck art is in vogue. There, the drivers mostly inscribe funny lines on the rear part of the trucks and people are amused to read them. However, use of bright colours, decorative material and all that paraphernalia is something that solely belongs to Pakistan, he said.
He suggested various companies, private and public organizations and corporate offices should use this medium of truck art for promotion of their products. This will not only serve the purpose of advertisement but also generate revenue as well as promote this unique art, said the ambassador.
