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Shaun Tan
Australian artist, writer and film maker (born 1974)

Shaun Tan (born 15 January 1974) is an Australian artist, writer, and filmmaker known for his acclaimed works such as The Lost Thing, which won an Academy Award in 2011. He also authored and illustrated notable books like The Red Tree and the wordless graphic novel The Arrival, which earned multiple awards including the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Book of the Year. Born in Fremantle and raised in Perth, Tan’s distinct style blends the familiar and uncanny, winning him the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for his contributions to children's and young adult literature.

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Biography

Early life

Tan was born in Fremantle, Western Australia,7 to a Chinese Malaysian father and an Australian mother. He grew up in the northern suburbs of Perth.8

As a boy, Tan spent time illustrating poems and stories and drawing dinosaurs, robots and spaceships. At school he was known as a talented artist.9 At the age of eleven, he became a fan of The Twilight Zone television series as well as books that bore similar themes. Tan cites Ray Bradbury as a favourite at this time. These stories led to Tan writing his own short stories. Of his effort at writing as a youth, Tan tells, "I have a small pile of rejection letters as testament to this ambition!"10 At the age of sixteen, Tan's first illustration appeared in the Australian magazine Aurealis in 1990.11

Transition to illustration

Tan almost studied to become a geneticist, and enjoyed chemistry, physics, history and English while in high school as well as art and claimed that he did not really know what he wanted to do.12 During his university studies, Tan decided to move from academic studies to working as an artist.13

Tan continued his education at the University of Western Australia where he studied Fine Arts, English Literature and History. While this was of interest to him, there was little practical work involved.14 In 1995, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts.1516

Work process

Initially, Tan worked in black and white because the final reproductions would be printed that way. Some black and white mediums he used include pens, inks, acrylics, charcoal, scraperboard, photocopies, and linocuts.17 Tan's current colour works include multiple different colours. He uses a graphite pencil to make sketches on ordinary copy paper. The sketches are then reproduced numerous times with different versions varying with parts added or removed. Sometimes scissors are used for this purpose. The cut and paste collage idea in these early stages is often extend to the finished production with many of his illustrations using such materials as "glass, metal, cuttings from other books and dead insects".18

Tan describes himself as a slow worker who revises his work many times along the way. He is interested in loss and alienation, and believes that children in particular react well to issues of natural justice. He feels he is "like a translator" of ideas, and is happy and flattered to see his work adapted and interpreted in film and music (such as by the Australian Chamber Orchestra).19

Influences

Tan draws from a large source of inspiration and cites many influences on his work. His comment on the subject is: "I'm pretty omnivorous when it comes to influences, and I like to admit this openly."20 Some influences are very direct. The Lost Thing is a strong example where Tan makes visual references to famous artworks. Many of his influences are a lot more subtle visually, some of the influences are ideological.

Patronage

The Shaun Tan Award for Young Artists is sponsored by the City of Subiaco and open to all Perth school children between 5 and 17 years. The award is aimed at encouraging creativity in two-dimensional works. It is held annually with award winners announced in May and finalists' works exhibited at the Subiaco Library throughout June.21

Awards

1992 L. Ron Hubbard Illustrators of the Future Contest: First Australian to win22 1993 Ditmar Award, Artwork, Nominated for Relics23 1995 Ditmar Award, Professional Artwork, Winner for Aurealis and Eidolon24 1996 Ditmar Award, Artwork, Winner for Eidolon Issue 19 (Cover)25 1997 Ditmar Award, Professional Artwork, Nominated for artwork in Eidolon and the cover of The Stray Cat26 1998 Crichton Award, Winner for The Viewer Children's Book Council of Australia, Notable Book for The Viewer Ditmar Award, Artwork/Artist, Nominated for The Viewer27 Western Australian Premier's Book Awards, Children's Book, Shortlisted for The Playground 1999 Aurealis Conveners' Award for Excellence for The Rabbits Children's Book Council of Australia, Notable Book for The Playground Children's Book Council of Australia, Picture Book of the Year, Winner for The Rabbits Ditmar Award, Australian Professional Artwork, Nominated for The Rabbits28 Spectrum Gold Award for Book Illustration for The Rabbits 2000 APA Design Award for Memorial Children's Book Council of Australia, Picture Book of the Year, Honour Book for Memorial Ditmar Award, Artwork, Winner for The Coode St Review of Science Fiction29 Spectrum Gold Award for Book Illustration Western Australian Premier's Book Awards, Writing for Young Adults award, Shortlisted for Lost Thing30 2001 Ditmar Award, Artwork, Winner for The Lost Thing31 Children's Book Council of Australia, Picture Book of the Year, Honour Book for The Lost Thing Western Australian Premier's Book Awards, Children's Books, Shortlisted for Red Tree World Fantasy Award for Best Artist32 2002 Children's Book Council of Australia, Picture Book of the Year, Honour Book for The Red Tree New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Literature Winner for Red Tree 2006 Premier's Prize and Children's Books category winner in the Western Australian Premier's Book Awards for The Arrival 2007 Ditmar Award, Artwork, Nominated for The Arrival33 Children's Book Council of Australia, Picture Book of the Year, Honour Book for The Lost Thing World Fantasy Award for Best Artist34 New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Community Relations Commission Award for The Arrival Children's Book Council of Australia, Picture Book of the Year for "The Arrival". 2008 Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize for Best Comic Book for Là où vont nos pères, the French edition of The Arrival35 Hugo Award, Nominated for Best Related Book for The Arrival36 Hugo Award, Nominated for Best Professional Artist (also in 2009 and 2010) Western Australian Premier's Book Awards Young Adult category winner for Tales from Outer Suburbia Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Special Citation for The Arrival37 2009 Ditmar Award, Artwork, Winner for Tales from Outer Suburbia38 Children's Book Council of Australia, Picture Book of the Year, Honour Book for The Lost Thing World Fantasy Award for Best Artist39 2010 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature, winner of the Children's Literature Award category and the South Australian Premier's Award for Tales from Outer Suburbia Dromkeen Medal Hugo Award, Best Professional Artist 2011 Academy Award, Won Best Short Film (Animated) for The Lost Thing Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award40 Ditmar Award, Artwork, Winner for The Lost Thing41 Ditmar Award, Artwork, Nominated for Australis Imaginarium42 Hugo Award, Best Professional Artist43 Peter Pan Prize for the Swedish translation of The Arrival44 2014 Locus Award, Artist45 Ditmar Award, Artwork, Winner for Rules of Summer46 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Picture Book Honor for Rules of Summer47 2019 World Fantasy Award for Best Artist, Finalist48:Children's Book Council of Australia, Picture Book of the Year, Winner for Cicada49

2020

Kate Greenaway Medal, Winner for Tales from the Inner City50

Adaptations

  • The Red Tree, a play based on Tan's book of the same name, was commissioned by the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.51
  • The Red Tree, a music performance created by new composer Michael Yezerski with Richard Tognetti; performed by the Australian Chamber Orchestra with the youth choir Gondwana Voices, and accompanied by images from the book.52
  • The Arrival. Images from this book were projected during a performance by the Australian Chamber Orchestra of conductor Richard Tognetti's arrangement of Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 1553
  • The Lost Thing has been adapted as an Oscar-winning animated short film.54
  • The Lost Thing inspired an album by Sydney band Lo-Tel, complete with artwork from the book.
  • The Lost Thing has also been adapted as a play by the Jigsaw Theatre Company,55 a youth theatre company in Canberra. This was the main event for the National Gallery of Australia's Children Festival (Canberra) and at the Chookahs! Kids Festival (Melbourne) in 2006.
  • The Lost Thing was the theme for the 2006 Chookahs! Kids Festival at The Arts Centre56 in Melbourne, with many different activities based on concepts from the book.
  • The Arrival was adapted for the stage by Red Leap Theatre.57
  • The Arrival was again projected on a screen to an orchestral score, performed by Orkestra of the Underground with 18 pieces created by musician and composer Ben Walsh. This was performed in the Opera House in Sydney, The Melbourne Recital Centre and Her Majesty's Theatre in Adelaide.58
  • The Rabbits was the basis for an opera of the same title by Kate Miller-Heidke which was premiered at the 2015 Perth International Arts Festival.

Works

Books

As illustrator

  • The Pipe, by James Moloney (1996)
  • The Stray Cat, by Steven Paulsen (1996)
  • The Doll, by Janine Burke (1997)
  • The Half Dead, by Garry Disher (1997)
  • The Viewer, written by Gary Crew (1997)
  • The Rabbits, written by John Marsden (1998)
  • The Hicksville Horror, by Nette Hilton (1999)
  • The Puppet, by Ian Bone (1999)
  • Memorial, written by Gary Crew (1999)
  • Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link (2008)

As author and illustrator

  • The Playground (1997)
  • The Lost Thing (2000)
  • The Red Tree (2001)
  • The Arrival (2006)
  • Tales from Outer Suburbia (2008)
  • The Bird King and other sketches (2011)
  • The Oopsatoreum: inventions of Henry A. Mintox, with the Powerhouse Museum (2012)
  • Rules of Summer (2013)
  • The Singing Bones (2016)
  • Cicada (2018)
  • Tales from the Inner City (2018)
  • Dog (2020)59
  • Eric (2020)
  • Creature (2022)

Installations

  • Mural in the Children's Section of the Subiaco Public Library (Perth, Western Australia).60

Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shaun Tan.

References

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  2. "2007 NSW Premier's Literary Awards", The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 May 2007 http://www.smh.com.au/news/books/2007-nsw-premiers-literary-awards/2007/05/29/1180205249745.html ↩

  3. "Winners 2007", Book of the Year Awards, CBCA. http://cbc.org.au/winner07.htm ↩

  4. "Shaun Tan", Premier's Book Awards Hall of Fame, State Library of Western Australia. http://pba.slwa.wa.gov.au/hall_of_fame/shaun_tan ↩

  5. Robb, Peter (13 September 2013). "The view from outside". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 September 2013. http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/the-view-from-outside-20130909-2tes9.html ↩

  6. "2011: Shaun Tan: A masterly visual storyteller" Archived 15 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine. The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Retrieved 2012-08-13. http://www.alma.se/en/Award-winners/2011-Recipient/ ↩

  7. "Shaun Tan". State Library of Western Australia. Retrieved 24 July 2024. https://slwa.wa.gov.au/whats-on/awards-fellowships/western-australian-writers-hall-fame/shaun-tan ↩

  8. Tan, Shaun (2012). "STRANGE MIGRATIONS: IBBY Conference Keynote, London 2012". shauntan.net. Archived from the original on 3 May 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130503204245/https://www.shauntan.net/Essays/ibby%20keynote.html ↩

  9. "Biography: Shaun Tan". Scholastic. Retrieved 27 August 2014. http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/shaun-tan ↩

  10. Haber, Karen (December 2001). "Shaun Tan: Out of Context". Locus (12). Retrieved 25 July 2007. http://www.locusmag.com/2001/Issue12/Tan.html ↩

  11. Haber, Karen (December 2001). "Shaun Tan: Out of Context". Locus (12). Retrieved 25 July 2007. http://www.locusmag.com/2001/Issue12/Tan.html ↩

  12. Haber, Karen (December 2001). "Shaun Tan: Out of Context". Locus (12). Retrieved 25 July 2007. http://www.locusmag.com/2001/Issue12/Tan.html ↩

  13. "Shaun Tan", Visual arts requirements case studies, NSW HSC Online. http://hsc.csu.edu.au/visual_arts/requirements/case_studies/illustrator_graphic_designer/122232ShaTanCDoc5.html ↩

  14. "Shaun Tan", Visual arts requirements case studies, NSW HSC Online. http://hsc.csu.edu.au/visual_arts/requirements/case_studies/illustrator_graphic_designer/122232ShaTanCDoc5.html ↩

  15. Agent, AustLit. http://www.austlit.edu.au/run?ex=ShowAgent&agentId=A%2C%7D9 ↩

  16. "Shaun Tan". Britannica Kids. Retrieved 24 July 2024. https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Shaun-Tan/636254 ↩

  17. Haber, Karen (December 2001). "Shaun Tan: Out of Context". Locus (12). Retrieved 25 July 2007. http://www.locusmag.com/2001/Issue12/Tan.html ↩

  18. Haber, Karen (December 2001). "Shaun Tan: Out of Context". Locus (12). Retrieved 25 July 2007. http://www.locusmag.com/2001/Issue12/Tan.html ↩

  19. "Shaun Tan: Tales from Outer Suburbia", The Book Show, ABC Radio National, 29 May 2008 http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bookshow/stories/2008/2258905.htm ↩

  20. Haber, Karen (December 2001). "Shaun Tan: Out of Context". Locus (12). Retrieved 25 July 2007. http://www.locusmag.com/2001/Issue12/Tan.html ↩

  21. Shaun Tan Award for Young Artists[permanent dead link]. http://esvc000818.wic015u.server-web.com/cos/events%5Cshauntan.html ↩

  22. Haber, Karen (December 2001). "Shaun Tan: Out of Context". Locus (12). Retrieved 25 July 2007. http://www.locusmag.com/2001/Issue12/Tan.html ↩

  23. "Science fiction awards database". http://www.sfadb.com/Shaun_Tan ↩

  24. Haber, Karen (December 2001). "Shaun Tan: Out of Context". Locus (12). Retrieved 25 July 2007. http://www.locusmag.com/2001/Issue12/Tan.html ↩

  25. "Science fiction awards database". http://www.sfadb.com/Shaun_Tan ↩

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  29. "Science fiction awards database". http://www.sfadb.com/Shaun_Tan ↩

  30. "Western Australian Premier's Book Awards – 2000 Shortlist". State Library of Western Australia. http://www.liswa.wa.gov.au/pbk00shlst.html ↩

  31. "Science fiction awards database". http://www.sfadb.com/Shaun_Tan ↩

  32. "Award Winners and Nominees". World Fantasy Convention. 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2011. http://www.worldfantasy.org/awards/awardslist.html/ ↩

  33. "Science fiction awards database". http://www.sfadb.com/Shaun_Tan ↩

  34. "World Fantasy Awards Winners", Locus Online News, November 2007. http://www.locusmag.com/2007/11_WfaWinners.html ↩

  35. "Palmarès Officiel 2008 Fauve D'Or: Prix du Meilleur Album" [Official 2008 Fauve D'Or trophy: Best album prize]. Festival International de la Bande Dessinée d'Angoulême (in French). Archived from the original on 28 January 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080128233259/http://www.bdangouleme.com/49-palmares-2008-fauve-dor-prix-du-meilleur-album ↩

  36. "2008 Hugo Award Nomination list". Denvention. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081221004127/http://www.denvention.org/hugos/08hugonomlist.php ↩

  37. "Past Boston Globe – Horn Book Award Winners – The Horn Book". hbook.com. Retrieved 21 April 2016. http://www.hbook.com/2011/05/news/boston-globe-horn-book-awards/past-boston-globe-horn-book-award-winners ↩

  38. "Science fiction awards database". http://www.sfadb.com/Shaun_Tan ↩

  39. "Award Winners and Nominees". World Fantasy Convention. 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2011. http://www.worldfantasy.org/awards/awardslist.html/ ↩

  40. "2011: Shaun Tan: A masterly visual storyteller" Archived 15 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine. The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Retrieved 2012-08-13. http://www.alma.se/en/Award-winners/2011-Recipient/ ↩

  41. "Science fiction awards database". http://www.sfadb.com/Shaun_Tan ↩

  42. "Science fiction awards database". http://www.sfadb.com/Shaun_Tan ↩

  43. "2011 Hugo Award Winners". The Hugo Awards. 21 August 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2014. http://www.thehugoawards.org/2011/08/2011-hugo-award-winners/ ↩

  44. "Tidigare mottagare". Peter Pan-priset (in Swedish). International Board on Books for Young People. Retrieved 27 August 2014. http://ibby.se/priserutmarkelser/peter-pan-priset/tidigare-pristagare/ ↩

  45. "Science fiction awards database". http://www.sfadb.com/Shaun_Tan ↩

  46. "Science fiction awards database". http://www.sfadb.com/Shaun_Tan ↩

  47. "Past Boston Globe – Horn Book Award Winners – The Horn Book". hbook.com. Retrieved 21 April 2016. http://www.hbook.com/2011/05/news/boston-globe-horn-book-awards/past-boston-globe-horn-book-award-winners ↩

  48. "World Fantasy Awards 2019 | World Fantasy Convention". Retrieved 25 July 2019. http://www.worldfantasy.org/world-fantasy-awards%e2%84%a0-2019/ ↩

  49. "CBCA Awards 2019 winners announced". Books+Publishing. 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019. https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2019/08/16/137855/cbca-awards-2019-winners-announced/ ↩

  50. Cowdrey, Katherine (17 June 2020). "McGowan and Tan awarded CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway medals". The Bookseller. https://www.thebookseller.com/news/mcgowan-and-tan-awarded-cilip-carnegie-and-kate-greenaway-medals-1207135 ↩

  51. Queensland Performing Arts Centre Media Release Archived 19 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine http://www.qpac.com.au/media/releases/OOTB_Red_Tree ↩

  52. Australian Chamber Orchestra The Red Tree Accessed: 2008-05-29 http://www.aco.com.au/?url=/redtree ↩

  53. Australian Chamber Orchestra The Red Tree Accessed: 2008-05-29 http://www.aco.com.au/?url=/redtree ↩

  54. Lothian Books http://www.lothian.com.au/AboutAuthors.aspx ↩

  55. "Jigsaw Theatre Company". Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 6 November 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070830130621/http://www.jigsawtheatre.com.au/ ↩

  56. Homepage – The Arts Centre – the home of the performing arts in Melbourne http://www.theartscentre.net.au/ ↩

  57. "The Arrival – Red Leap Theatre". Australian Stage. 12 January 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2009. http://www.australianstage.com.au/201001123106/reviews/sydney-festival/the-arrival-%7c-red-leap-theatre.html ↩

  58. "Orkestra of the Underground". http://www.benw.info/orkestraoftheunderground/arrival.html ↩

  59. Tan, Shaun (3 November 2020). Dog. Crows Nest, NSW. ISBN 978-1-76052-613-9. OCLC 1191088993.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) 978-1-76052-613-9 ↩

  60. Shaun, Tan. "The Tea Party". Retrieved 6 September 2014. http://www.shauntan.net/projects.html#anchor%20tea%20party ↩