A Polish children’s book exhibition in Taipei is showing how illustration can carry stories across language barriers. “Spotlight on Polish Illustration” opens Tuesday, July 14, at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, bringing together 28 books and 28 original artworks by 14 contemporary Polish illustrators.

“We wanted to show books even in different languages,” curator Patryk Hardziej told Rti at an exhibition preview event on Monday. About half of the books have been translated into Chinese, he said, but Taiwanese audiences could still understand the others through their visual language, even if they could not fully understand the written text.

Taiwan’s design scene is “one of the best in the world,” Hardziej said, adding that Taiwanese audiences were receptive to “very progressive, very new, very artsy stuff.”

The exhibition was organized by Polish and Taiwanese partners, including the Society of Polish Illustrators, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Taiwan’s Industrial Development Administration, and the Taiwan Design Research Institute (TDRI). The works include books about composer Frédéric Chopin, women’s history, and Polish folk art.

TDRI President Chang Chi-yi (張基義) told Rti that the exhibition was part of a broader two-way exchange between Taiwan and Europe.

“We also hope everyone can connect with the world through design,” Chang said, adding that the illustrations had something to offer readers of all ages. “That is why I think design is part of everyday life,” he said.