Spanning genres and generations, the selection of works at The Aesop Queer Library is made up of books purchased from Pure Books in Taipei and Paperbooks in Taichung — two local businesses that provide queer-friendly spaces in which LGBTQIA+ stories may be explored throughout the year. Guided by the recommendations of Aesop’s bibliophiles, visitors will be able to collect a complimentary book of their choice, with no purchase required. Encompassing a diverse range of writers, the library will reveal how queer literature has evolved to reflect the myriad experiences within the community.
For this second edition, the initiative focuses on ‘stories that travel, a collection on the road’, exploring new paths for sharing the many modes of queer expression in Taiwan — be it in-store or out-of-doors. In this spirit, a mobile library was devised as a means of connecting various communities to cherished works by LGBTQIA+ authors. Starting in Taichung, this moveable literary feast will journey to Hsinchu and Taoyuan, en route to Taipei, stopping at a handful of Aesop stores along the way. The nomadic structure, mounted atop a bicycle, reimagines waste materials, breathing new life into reclaimed wooden pallets.
Other avenues for those seeking queer creative inspiration include a city guide featuring recommendations of queer spaces and experiences around the world, and a playlist for Pride celebrations — composed by Aesop’s internal LGBTQIA+ community, PRISM. Specially commissioned works by queer Chinese-American artist Jeffrey Cheung will also be on display in-store, each depicting the joy that may be found in sharing stories and forging bonds within the queer community.
The Aesop Queer Library opens from:
Aesop Daan, Taipei: 28 October – 1 November 2022
Aesop Mitsukoshi Taichung: 4 – 8 November 2022
The itinerant branch of the Library stops at or near the following stores:
Aesop Eslite Taichung on 5 November
Aesop Sogo Hsinchu on 6 November
Aesop Far Eastern Taoyuan and Aesop Mitsukoshi Taoyuan on 7 November
Aesop Nanxi, Taipei on 8 November
Aesop Yongkang, Taipei on 8 November