Shaun Tan’s
Rules of Summer

Shaun Tan’s The Rules of Summer was an extremely popular exhibition, drawing large numbers and attracting a great deal of praise and good publicity. Rules of Summer features a set of original paintings from Shaun Tan made for the picture book of the same title.

The exhibition follows the friendship of two young boys as they are challenged by many difficult and irrational situations, each a metaphor for familiar childhood experiences. The story is a list of mysterious rules, ‘Never step on a snail’ or ‘Never leave a red sock on the clothesline’. As each rule is broken – not always by accident – surprising consequences ensue and audiences are invited to decide for themselves what is really happening, and why.

We were awarded a Fringe ‘Weekly Winner’ award in the visual arts and film category, and sold a number of copies of the book. The local Dymocks bookstore also sold many copies of this book in the duration of the exhibition.