木 mù – illustrated book inspired by Wood (Bangkok, Thailand)

Mù is a collection of tales and stories inspired by Wood. Objects, places, and ideas expected and unexpected appear in this genre-bending, free-branching compilation—you’ll read about cedar bark and a concrete building, the sauna and a sparring match, a very old wooden tool and nine new paint colours, the chair maker, the writer, the tree-keeper, the musician, and ChatGPT …

Illustrated with 15 original artworks and typography that takes wordplay to new heights, Mù is a beautifully crafted book filled with wit and wonder.

About the Series

The Five Books is a series designed around the five elements of the material world—Water (水; shuǐ), Wood (木; mù), Fire (火; huǒ), Metal (金; jīn), and Earth (土; tǔ)—looking at the ways they influence and inspire our art, design, food, and culture. Mù is the second book in the collection.

Author: Yvonne Xu
Illustrator / Typographer: Shu (Anonymous)