News Archive

A sunny school excursion to UWA by country primary school kids will probably inspire many of them to become students here in the not too-distant future.

The highlight of the visit for the Pinjarra Primary School year sevens was the opportunity to explore their connection with world-renowned author, artist, Oscar winner and graduate, Shaun Tan.

Pinjarra Primary School teacher Jan Middleton's brother Iain Middleton, is the artisan tiler behind Shaun Tan's sundial. In sharing the creative and mathematical process of the sundial, Iain inspired the students to build their own sundial for their final year project.

The students visited the sundial, Hours to Sunset , which adorns the west wall of The University Club, to understand how it works.

After Iain Middleton described the art of mosaics and design to the students, Dr Peter Kovesi, from the School of Computer Science and Software Engineering, explained the mathematics and science behind Shaun Tan's centenary gift to UWA.

The year sevens were then taken on a tour of the university grounds by Uni Role Model student volunteers.

For many of the students their first visit to UWA made a big impression.

"It's a much bigger place than I thought," said aspiring marine biologist/forensic scientist Amy Attwood (12).

"I liked the architecture of the place and there is so much here," said Connor Healy (12).

Jan Middleton said Pinjarra Primary School eventually hoped to attract sponsorship to be able to design and construct its own sundial on a large scale.

Shaun Tan graduated in 1995 with joint first class honours in Fine Arts and English Literature. As a young artist, one of his patrons was the then librarian at Subiaco Library, Susan Marie, who is now Director of UWA Extension .  She commissioned and co-ordinated the Centenary sundial project and facilitated the Pinjarra Primary School visit along with UniDiscovery coordinator Megan Henderson.

Hours to Sunset , made of Venetian glass, was influenced by the medieval Book of Hours , an illuminated manuscript featuring gold and blue pigments.

"This combination of old European elements, mixed with my own experience of painting our coast, has produced a work that rhymes well with the sensibility of the University campus and its architecture," Mr Tan said when his sundial was launched.

In an age of digital clocks and smart-phone calendars, he relished working on a sundial that blends the ancient origin of time-keeping with humanity's basic relationship with sunlight and nature. Mr Tan is also designing a garden to compliment the sundial.