⁠As I consider myself very fortunate that I can appreciate and accept two cultures, one is the Eastern culture of Pakistan, where I was born, and the culture that adopted me, the Canadian or the Western culture. Being a lifelong admirer of the fusion of East and West, in all forms of art, it is impossible for me not to incorporate both these cultures into my art.⁠

⁠As the second wave of Covid hit us, it is quite easy to forget how frightening and terrifying the first wave was, when no one knew how to manage a virus that has no cure. In this nightmarish scenario, the essential workers went out every day, and put their lives at risk, if that is not the very definition of courage, I don’t know what is. ⁠

⁠I painted this in the style of the indigenous Pakistani art called “Truck Art” to honor and thank the essential workers.⁠

Truck art is extremely popular in Pakistan, all the trucks that carry goods are painted like this. The owners of the trucks spend a considerable amount of funds to decorate their trucks, I have used the same style, but the colors are from the hospital scrubs which are used in hospitals in the Western part of the world.⁠