A model of the Polish Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo 2010 Photo: Wang Qiao

Curated by the State Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw, Poland, the exhibition From Sources to Inspiration: Ethnic Motifs in Polish Design kicked off at the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) on Saturday to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Poland.

Over 200 pieces of folk artworks are on display to help introduce the rich culture of Polish folk art to China.

This exhibition consists of two sections. The first presents traditional folk clothing from major areas of Poland from the 19th century to today, miniature dancing dolls and Polish musical instruments. The second section features contemporary art, ranging from utensils to gadgets, inspired by traditional Polish folk culture.

Inspired by the Polish folk art of paper cutting, a model of the Polish Pavilion at the Expo Shanghai 2010 is also on display.

The curator of NAMOC, Wu Weishan described the exhibition as a brand new exchange platform for art between the two countries.

"This is the fist time that the State Ethnographic Museum has held such a grand exhibition in China. It will open a window for Chinese and Polish audiences to better communicate about art," Wu said.

The exhibition is scheduled to end on September 16.