Art in a book

My brother Zaid designs and I write. It was a just a matter of time that one day, we would work on the same project. That time came in 2003 when Kathy Tan, who was then Executive Director of the Federation of Malaysian Unit Trust Managers (FMUTM), now known as the Federation of Investment Managers Malaysia, called me up to talk about producing a coffee-table book to commemorate FMUTM's tenth anniversary. The brief was to design, write and produce the book to a specific theme.

Noting that the unit trust industry was still growing, Zaid and I came up with a theme based on nature. FMUTM liked our proposal to trace its development through art by commissioning six original art-pieces as the creative base to illustrate the concept of growth and potential. These art-pieces served as the book cover and chapter division pages, and during the tenth anniversary gala dinner, they were framed and presented as gifts to VIP guests.

As explained in the book, "the cover art-piece, portraying the abundance and vitality one finds in nature, is reflective of the opportunities available in the unit trust industry. Motifs depicting various stages of growth in plant-life are brought together to illustrate the development cycle. The imaginative use of colours and patterns convey a sense of energy and innovation, elements that are essential for the further development of the industry." The chapter titles carried on with the theme - Chapter 1: Planting the Seed; Chapter 2: Growing the Industry; Chapter 3: Nurturing with Care; Chapter 4: Reaching Beyond; and Chapter 5: Developing Organically.

The book cover

The story of FMUTM's beginnings is conveyed through the juxtaposition of panels of seeds.

The idea of growth is reflected in the dominant use of plant roots in this art-piece.

The arrangement of images and patterns intimate at FMUTM's relative youth.

Flowers and leaves depict the blossoming of FMUTM regionally and internationally.

In the final art-piece, trees are arrayed in a line to depict the counting of FMUTM's achievements. The colour blue comes vividly in the picture to indicate the commitment required to bring the Federation beyond the horizon.

As in the corporate history book project of the Commerce Asset Group, working on FMUTM's tenth anniversary coffee-table book was a pleasure. Zaid and I worked with a small team headed by Kathy Tan, touching base occasionally with then President of FMUTM, Dato' Seri Abdul Azim Mohd Zabidi. Approvals were quick and the team was receptive to our ideas. Zaid and I, and more importantly FMUTM, were happy with the end result (by the way, the colours of the pages above are more vibrant in the actual book). One thing about the book that could have been better was the quality of the archival photos, which were not taken by professional photographers but understandably by staff members present at the various events.