About the Artist

Neelam Naden Malaisé is an artist and graphic designer based in Jakarta. After graduating from university in 2013, she worked for several design studios. In 2017, she founded Studio Neelam, where she is the Creative Director, and later established Neem Jakarta, her fashion brand. Neelam has a growing local and international clientele, including a French company.

The ASEAN team was impressed by Neelam’s design style, and colour palette, which she says is influenced by her mixed Indonesian and Indian heritage. We commissioned Neelam to create an illustration that depicts ASEAN-India’s long and continued partnership.

Neelam says, “I feel really grateful and content with having so many opportunities to collaborate and design for other brands worldwide. Since childhood, my only dream has been to become an international designer. Now, I have my own studio. People contact me because they love my style, and I can see that I am getting closer to my dream, and it feels amazing.”

“My art is influenced a lot by Indian culture. During my childhood, my parents took me to the Indian Hindu temple weekly. All the Indian temples are so colourful and detailed, with women and girls coming in different Saree colours. I really love to see that, and it represents happiness and festivities.”

All magazine covers were designed by talented artists from the region. The ASEAN team would like to invite other ASEAN artists to illustrate for our future editions. Interested artists may email a sample of their work to ASCCAD@asean.org.