Western Romance, Made in Taiwan: The Story of Taiwan's Porcelain Figurine Industry in the 1970s

The 1970s was an era when various trends vied for prominence worldwide. The post-war baby boomers, those born between 1945 and 1965, constitute the largest generation in terms of population, with a global total exceeding 200 million people. Consequently, in the 1970s, the American baby boomer population drove growth in toys, cartoons, and popular music. The prosperity of the toy industry, of course, also spurred the decorative ceramics industry. From the early days of receiving orders and setting up factories through Japanese intermediaries, where Taiwanese learned to make porcelain figurines, to later beginning their own design and prototype production, and then mass-producing based on orders, this process moved from setbacks to success! Looking back at history, 'Made in Taiwan' seemed to become the world's production center. This once-held Taiwanese spirit was full of confidence, pride, and glorious achievement.
Decorative ceramics, from 2D graphic design to 3D sculpted prototypes, can be said to integrate the arts of painting, sculpture, coloring, and firing in their artistic expression, showcasing splendid and spectacular three-dimensional beauty. They represent traditional beliefs, local culture, observations of life, and personal artistic cultivation. The porcelain figurines produced in the Miaoli area were mainly supplied to foreign markets, including Western countries such as the United States, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Therefore, their craftsmanship techniques or stylistic presentations differed from Taiwan's traditional industries. In the process of the collision and innovation between Eastern and Western ceramic arts, the future development path of Taiwan's ceramic industry was influenced. The pioneering period was in the 1960s, rapid development occurred in the 1970s, and by the 1980s, it entered a golden age primarily focused on exports. At that time, Taiwan was renowned as the 'Kingdom of Decorative Ceramics.'
'Made in Taiwan' witnessed the romantic history of European and American life in the 1970s. Each porcelain figurine has its own story, and this, of course, also includes every person or family who collected them. Taiwan's decorative ceramics industry gradually faded as labor patterns changed and demand sharply declined. Yet, it also witnessed the era of Taiwan's economic take-off, where hard-earned sweat facilitated a beautiful encounter between 'Made in Taiwan' and Western romance.