The Arrival

They always say, a picture speaks louder than words. Shaun Tan's The Arrival takes a simple story of a man in search of a new life and twists it around with no words whatsoever, creating something brand new in the form of various whimsical and dream-like illustrations. To quote the author/artist himself;  "I realize that I have a recurring interest in notions of ‘belonging’, particularly the finding or losing of it. Whether this has anything to do with my own life, I’m not sure, it seems to be more of a subconscious than conscious concern."

Given being half-Chinese, the idea of migrant experience seems all too personal and common for people like him. After all, we aren't born in one single place. Every time we cross borders, our eyes are assaulted with the realization that each country has it's own life, giving the appearance of something otherworldly or fantastic.

As someone who's gone to places like South America or Europe, I know all too well the sudden realization of a different life in another country. From the everyday life of locals, to the foreign relations, to the landscape around it, I know for a fact that countries are like people, every shade of color and every kind of personality there is.

I think that's why visual stories like The Arrival work wonders; really a story of travel, discovery, adaptation and connection. Really, more stories ought to learn from such an example.

Thanks for reading.

Source:
http://www.shauntan.net/books/the-arrival.html