Mahrooseh: Lebanon's Art on the Road محروسة

It was just like any other day, being stuck in Beirut traffic with nothing to do but look around when I noticed the Arabic word Mahrooseh (protected) on the back of a large truck in front of me. As I was there for a while, I started noticing the detailed art and hand-drawn vernacular calligraphy, the evil eye, the cedars and many decorative patterns. That was when I was inspired to begin this journey of photographing and documenting as many trucks as I could all over Lebanon.

Lebanon, a country that is small in size, yet large in its cultural diversity. From its rare and beautiful traditions are the sayings on most trucks, especially the ones for goods transportation that are common across the country. Wherever you are you will rarely find a truck without a proverb painted on it; be it a saying, a joke, part of a song, or a passing thought. They are beautifully decorated to elaborate the meaning. But most of them are used to ward off the evil eye.

Falak Shawwa is a photographer with a passion to document the experiences and journeys of different people and the richness of their cultures. Her work has been exhibited in London, New York, San Francisco, Toronto, Dubai, Beirut and Cyprus.