World in a Studio: Exhibition of Cherished Author Items Donated to the NMTL displays 30 specially selected items that were individually used and enjoyed by 20th-century Taiwan-based authors and poets. Breaking from the typical focus on author works and manuscripts, this highly engaging exhibition of donated items offers a unique lens into the private and creative lives of dozen better-known authors in Taiwan.  The items on display are relatively humble, including writing implements, simple jewelry, and handmade gifts and souvenirs, which either had important meaning to their owners or expressed their distinctive tastes. Different from their creative literary output, items such as these open windows onto author personalities and everyday lives and engage visitors on a deeper level with Taiwan’s literary community. The exhibition is organized into two sections, including Cherished Items from the Studio and Cherished Items from Everyday Life, and features personal items in the NMTL collection from nearly 20 authors, including Mitsuru Nishikawa, Chu Hsi-ning, Sanmao, Chang Hsiu-ya, and Wang Kai-yun. This exhibition is a rare opportunity to see items from a cross-section of well-known contemporary Taiwan authors.

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The section Cherished Items from the Studio displays items from author studios and literary activities. The paperweights, writing brushes and ink, calligraphy, seals, and literary-event memorabilia cast new and interesting light on their owners’ creative life and cultural sensibilities. The section Cherished Items from Everyday Life displays items prized by their owners in everyday life. While not directly connected to literary careers, items such as smoking pipes, decorative jewelry, and travel souvenirs hint at the style and unaffected elegance carried by Taiwan’s contemporary authors as well as at these authors’ personal interests and preferences.