The style of Taiwanese ceramic art, which began diversifying in and after the 1980s, reached its maturity in the 1990s. Around this epoch, ceramic art became recognized as an established art genre and began developing its own market,independent from that of the ceramic industry.
Although the primary players of ceramic art education used to be private studios run by artists, their role was gradually replaced by public educational institutes. Despite this change, however, these public institutes inherited the flexible attitude of the ceramic art pioneers, who were eager to learn diverse aspects of the art from various art genres and regardless of the countryregion. In the early 2000s, the internationalization of Taiwanese ceramic art was spurred by the opening of the Yingge Ceramics Museum, the first museum dedicated to ceramic art in Taiwan. In addition to introducing Taiwanese ceramic art to the world, the museum organized various international programs, such as public entry exhibitions and artist-in-residence programs. Through these programs, the museum supported Taiwanese ceramic artists, encouraging them to play an active part on the global stage.
The ceramic artists of the new generation, who enjoyed ample access to cross-sectional education and international interactions, began developing a wide variety of expressive techniques without being constrained by the traditions of ceramic art or views that stress the functionality of ceramic ware. Among such techniques are the installation art and the use of mixed media, including digital media. Moreover, reflecting the maturity of democracy in Taiwan, some artists express their criticism toward society, while others create works on the theme of their own cultural identity against the backdrop of the multi-dimensional society. Resonating trends of contemporary fine arts, these ceramic artists are broadening the range of their expressions in ceramic art works.