The Japanese term Decotora, an abbreviation for "Decoration Truck," describes the outrageously customized work trucks of Japan. Though they have existed since sometime in the '60s, the 1975 release of torakku yaro (Trucker) — a film featuring a costumed protagonist and a fleet of Decotora — transformed what was a relatively small, regional phenomenon into a national subculture¹. Decotora culture is still a fixture in Japan, though like any subculture it has seen much development and evolution since its inception. Masaru Tatsuki spent the last decade photographing the Decotora and their drivers, an ambitious project that was published by Little More in 2007 as Decotora: Japanese Art Truck Scene 1998-2007.

This summer, the Tai Gallery in Santa Fe hosted an exhibition of images from Decotora. It was an interesting match; Tai Gallery traditionally exhibits textile and bamboo arts (though they have recently been exploring photography with much success) and this was the first show for Tatsuki outside his native country.