The Postmodern era (1970s-1990s) revolutionized porcelain sculpture by rejecting Modernism's purity in favor of bold eclecticism. Unlike Minimalist ceramics' austerity or Pop Art's mass-produced aesthetic, Postmodern porcelain embraced historical references, fragmented forms, and ironic juxtapositions. Artists like Betty Woodman fused Baroque ornamentation with industrial shapes, while Ken Price experimented with surreal, biomorphic glazes that challenged functional pottery traditions.

Compared to Abstract Expressionist ceramics (focused on gesture) or Fluxus' performance-driven clay works, Postmodern porcelain prioritized conceptual layering. It borrowed from Art Deco geometry one moment and Folk Art naivety the next, often incorporating kitsch elements that High Modernism would deem "tasteless." This stood in stark contrast to the monochromatic severity of 1980s Neo-Expressionist stoneware or the tech-obsessed precision of Digital Age ceramics emerging in the 1990s.

The materiality of porcelain itself became part of the commentary - its traditional association with refinement was subverted through deliberate imperfections or industrial finishes. Where Late Modernist ceramists like Peter Voulkos emphasized clay's raw physicality, Postmodern artists used porcelain's fragility to critique cultural constructs of value. This ideological playfulness, combined with radical formal experimentation, makes Postmodern porcelain sculptures distinctly different from other late 20th-century ceramic movements.