#phoolpatti

Dover Rug & Home is pleased to present the internationally acclaimed truck artist Haider Ali, for a special session on “Truck art, peace, and pluralism in Pakistan, India and beyond” Friday, August 14, from 5:00PM to 8:00PM, at the Dover Rug Showroom, 721 Worcester Road (Route 9), Natick, MA. World renowned for his expertise in ‘truck art’, the distinctive folk art form unique to Pakistan, Haider Ali was barely seven years old when his father started teaching him the skill in 1987. After dropping out of school in 9th grade, he pursued his passion full-time. In recent years, Ali and his students, and their students, have started a company they named Phool Patti, which translates to 'flowers leaves' in Urdu/Hindi. Clients in Pakistan use this term when they want to get their vehicles decorated. This captivating artist has visited several countries around the world to present his art, including Turkey, Korea, Canada, India and Afghanistan. In 2002 the Smithsonian Museum invited him to the United States to teach and exhibit his work. One of Haider Ali’s goals is to continue mentoring young artists so they can carry on the legacy. On August 14th at Dover Rug & Home, Haider Ali will talk about his work, his life and his views on truck art, peace, and pluralism, in Pakistan, India and the region. His visit to Boston comes at the end of a three-week teaching workshop in Washington D.C. The event also commemorates India and Pakistan’s Independence Days together, something that Indians and Pakistanis around the world have been doing for several years on August 14-15 annually in the face of government tensions and hostilities. Haider Ali will present and also feature some of his artwork for sale during the event.“We are thrilled to host Haider Ali here in Boston,” states Dover’s CEO Mahmud Jafri. “The impact his art has had on the culture of South Asia resonates around the world. Through art, he expresses everyone’s desire for peace and unity. We are eager to share his talent with our friends here in Boston.”