Artisians in the Present Artistic Market: A Case Study on Jingdezhen Porcelain

This paper explores the challenges and opportunities artists face in Jingdezhen, a village historically renowned for its blue and white pottery. The ceramics industry is a vital economic pillar in Jingdezhen, as reported by the Chinese Government in 2016, “Jingdezhen's porcelain products were exported to 75 countries and regions with a value of 256 million yuan ($37.17 million U.S.)”. However, as they shifted from a command economy to a market economy in the 20th century, artisans struggled to maintain a living. Under the command economy, artists in Jingdezhen had stable government support and a guaranteed market for their work. On the contrary, the shift to a market economy has introduced competition and a decrease in demand, making survival more complex. Therefore, through the lens study of Jingdezheng, this paper will analyze how artists can survive, and how art is valued in the ever-evolving market.