https://hyperallergic.com/649642/india-vibrant-idiosyncratic-truck-art/ Sensitive to Art & its Discontents Thu, 03 Jun 2021 12:39:16 +0000 hourly 1 https://hyperallergic.com/649642/india-vibrant-idiosyncratic-truck-art/#comment-486998 Thu, 03 Jun 2021 12:39:16 +0000 https://hyperallergic.com/?p=649642#comment-486998 I wish you had been in Panamá for the ‘Diablos Rojos’, colorfully, hand-painted buses used to transport workers from the countryside to the cities each day and back home at evening. Both traditional brush painting techniques and spray-tagging were used to create colorful images of pop culture stars, idealized landscape, religious iconography, as well as family portraits of wives, mothers and children. Together they competed to catch the eye of potential customers. They were super personalized, often telling the entire story of the drivers. Many were rented for private parties at night during festival. Sadly, they too were replaced by commercial companies, (air-conditioned) with plain white buses. Better for the rider but way boring. I hope the Indian tradition continues in some form. I love the visual language and we need all the color we can get!

]]>