A Foreign Land, A New Home : Shaun Tan’s The Arrival is the first exhibition in Asia of Australian illustrator, author, and filmmaker Shaun Tan, exhibiting a selection of more than 30 works of original drawings and digital prints from his internationally acclaimed wordless graphic novel The Arrival. It tells a moving story of migration, exploration, and acceptance—yet without using any words. Through Tan’s powerful imagery of a fantastic alternative universe, we receive an important message about human belonging and human transformation. The exhibit is the opening event of 我城我書 / One City One Book Hong Kong, a new initiative of The Education University of Hong Kong.

Curator: Zoran Poposki

Artist Biography

Shaun Tan (b. 1974, Fremantle, Western Australia) of is an Australian illustrator, author, and filmmaker of Chinese/Malay and Anglo Australian (Irish/English) heritage. His illustrated books The Rabbits, The Red Tree, Tales from Outer Suburbia, Rules of Summer, and the acclaimed wordless novel The Arrival have been widely translated and awarded. For his contribution to children's literature, Tan received the 2011 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the biggest international prize in children’s literature. The Lost Thing, an animated film adaptation of his graphic novel, which he directed, won Tan the Oscar for best animated short at the Academy Awards in Hollywood in 2011.

About 我城我書 / One City One Book Hong Kong

我城我書 / One City One Book Hong Kong is a community reading programme which aims to get as many people as possible in a city, to read and discuss a single book at round the same time. Each year students, scholar and readers of all kinds will focus their attention on one single book. A series of activities related to the chosen book are held around Hong Kong, including discussions of the book and its themes, along with exhibitions, film screening, school events, book discussions, author visits, cultural performances, library events, and so forth. The goals of the initiative are to build a sense of community and promote reading, discussion, and civic engagement.

Presenter: Centre for Popular Culture in the Humanities, The Education University of Hong Kong

Programme Enquiries:  2948 7360 / onecityonebook@eduhk.hk

Website: www.onecityonebook.hk / www.facebook.com/onecityonebookhk / www.instagram.com/onecityonebookhk