It is often considered that “The Exhibition of Works by Contemporary Taiwanese and Japanese Ceramists”, held in 1981 at the National Museum of History, was a turning point in contemporary Taiwanese ceramic art. The exhibition, which showcased works by 19 Taiwanese ceramists and 46 Japanese counterparts, inspired the creativity of many contemporary artists. At the same time, the event left a strong impression of the artistic value of ceramic art in a modern context. In addition to enhancing the technological levels of Taiwanese artists, the exhibition promoted the recognition that the message and originality of individual artists should be valued as essential elements of the art. The event also made individual ceramic artists strongly aware of their own specialty.
This trend was boosted by vigorous activities of the artists who had either studied abroad or attended seminars outside Taiwan. They brought back home Western and Japanese philosophies of art and the concept of contemporary ceramic art, which they spread in Taiwan. In 1979, when the Taiwanese government eased restrictions on overseas travel, driven by their ambition, an increasing number of ceramic artists began going abroad to study. After they returned to Taiwan, they shared the knowledge they had gained abroad through the networks of their private studios, as well as at public educational institutes, the number of which was gradually increasing. In this way, new forms of creative activities began burgeoning in Taiwan. Some artists, for example, engaged in a quest for contemporality, starting from the traditional art of Mainland China, while others tried to interpret Western thoughts of contemporary art from their respective viewpoints. The great diversity in the styles of ceramic art as we now see in Taiwan has been shaped by the artists who were active in this epoch.
The remarkable growth of the Taiwanese economy since the 1980s has made its people increasingly interested in quality of life and the arts. The surge of interest in cultural affairs, including ceramic art, across Taiwanese society is evidenced by the establishment of the Council for Cultural Affairs (the Ministry of Culture today) in 1981 and the opening of “The Chinese Biennial Ceramics Exhibition”, the first public entry exhibition held in 1986 at the National Museum of History. Boosted by this trend, contemporary ceramic art began blooming in Taiwan.