Personal Context
Shaun Tan is an illustrator and author who was born in 1974 at the northern suburb of Fremantle, Western Australia. He was born into a family and area where there was a long history of Chinese immigration. Tan was largely influenced by his father’s story of emigration as he captures the difficulty of emigration itself and the challenges that consequently followed.
Tan studied in Balcatta Senior High School where he was constantly acknowledged for his talent in drawing. After enrolling in a special art program for gifted and talented students, Tan pursued a career in arts. He graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1995, with conjoint honours in Fine Arts and English Literature.
Throughout Tan’s teenage years, he drew and painted images for science fiction and horror stories in small-press magazines, and has since become best known for illustrated books that deal with social, political and historical subjects through surreal, dream-like imagery. He focused on using black and white drawings because they would be printed that way.
Tan admits that he openly admits his inspiration for his drawings. He conveys that some of his inspirations are either direct or indirect, meaning that some of the influences that give him inspiration can be quite obvious or subtle. Some of the inspiration he gathers can also be conceptual.
Shaun Tan is an illustrator and author who was born in 1974 at the northern suburb of Fremantle, Western Australia. He was born into a family and area where there was a long history of Chinese immigration. Tan was largely influenced by his father’s story of emigration as he captures the difficulty of emigration itself and the challenges that consequently followed.
Tan studied in Balcatta Senior High School where he was constantly acknowledged for his talent in drawing. After enrolling in a special art program for gifted and talented students, Tan pursued a career in arts. He graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1995, with conjoint honours in Fine Arts and English Literature.
Throughout Tan’s teenage years, he drew and painted images for science fiction and horror stories in small-press magazines, and has since become best known for illustrated books that deal with social, political and historical subjects through surreal, dream-like imagery. He focused on using black and white drawings because they would be printed that way.
Tan admits that he openly admits his inspiration for his drawings. He conveys that some of his inspirations are either direct or indirect, meaning that some of the influences that give him inspiration can be quite obvious or subtle. Some of the inspiration he gathers can also be conceptual.
Historical Context
The Arrival captures an immigrant’s journey to a foreign and unknown place. It is a story of persistence and hope whilst capturing the core theme of migration. Migration within Australian history is prominent post World War 2. Tan is vague about the specific time however he demonstrates a generalised and common experience and challenges of immigration.
After World War 2, migration boomed as many people from Europe wanted to start a new life after the hardship of the war. After WW2, Chifley introduced the policy: Populate or Perish, to encourage people from Europe to migrate to Australia. Australia needed a larger population for a few reasons including labour shortages, the need of new skills and national security. By 1949, Australia had accepted 500,000 migrants who were European and non-supporters of communism. This policy continued for a number of decades.
In 1972, the policy of assimilation was abolished and replaced by multiculturalism. In 1973, the White Australia Policy was abolished, meaning that race was not a factor in migration. This was a tremendous milestone in Australian history because it allowed Asian migrants to enter Australia. At the time, the Vietnam War forced many people to become refugees and settle in different countries. A large portion of them decided to migrate to Australia after fleeing the war.
The Arrival captures an immigrant’s journey to a foreign and unknown place. It is a story of persistence and hope whilst capturing the core theme of migration. Migration within Australian history is prominent post World War 2. Tan is vague about the specific time however he demonstrates a generalised and common experience and challenges of immigration.
After World War 2, migration boomed as many people from Europe wanted to start a new life after the hardship of the war. After WW2, Chifley introduced the policy: Populate or Perish, to encourage people from Europe to migrate to Australia. Australia needed a larger population for a few reasons including labour shortages, the need of new skills and national security. By 1949, Australia had accepted 500,000 migrants who were European and non-supporters of communism. This policy continued for a number of decades.
In 1972, the policy of assimilation was abolished and replaced by multiculturalism. In 1973, the White Australia Policy was abolished, meaning that race was not a factor in migration. This was a tremendous milestone in Australian history because it allowed Asian migrants to enter Australia. At the time, the Vietnam War forced many people to become refugees and settle in different countries. A large portion of them decided to migrate to Australia after fleeing the war.
Activity
Get into groups of 3 or 4, and create a collage using the following website:
Use what you have learnt in history, specifically Patterns of Migration, to find images of migration in post WW2. Organise the collage so that the words ‘Historical Context,’ is bolded and in the centre. Have a number of images that demonstrate the experience and challenges of migration. Also try to capture how migrants tried to overcome these challenges.
Suggested phrases to search up include:
Get into groups of 3 or 4, and create a collage using the following website:
Use what you have learnt in history, specifically Patterns of Migration, to find images of migration in post WW2. Organise the collage so that the words ‘Historical Context,’ is bolded and in the centre. Have a number of images that demonstrate the experience and challenges of migration. Also try to capture how migrants tried to overcome these challenges.
Suggested phrases to search up include:
- Migration 1970s
- Populate or Perish
- Snowy Mountain Scheme
- Italian Migration
- Dictation Test
- White Australia Policy