Potters in a spin

Wellington – The genteel world of New Zealand pottery has been rocked by a row over plans for a ceramic dildo-making workshop, sparking allegations of bullying and online abuse.

Ceramicist Nicole Gaston said she wanted the Wellington Potters’ Association to hold the event with Iza Lozano, a visiting Mexican artist who has conducted similar workshops in her homeland.

She said pottery dildos were easily sterilised, could be warmed, and unlike latex versions did not pose the risk of leeching chemicals into the body.

“Some of the oldest ceramic works ever found are of phalluses,” said Gaston.

“This isn’t exactly brand new, people have been doing this for thousands of years.”

But the 41-year-old said the backlash against the proposal had been so extreme that she quit her voluntary role as president of the potters’ association.

“Some committee members said it was needlessly provocative, someone else said it wasn’t appropriate,” she said.

“There was this very reactionary, pearl-clutching response, like ‘how can we talk about sex, we should be ashamed of it’.”

The Wellington Potters’ Association did not respond to requests for comment.

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