As a clay guy, when pots get the axe, I feel their pain.
I’ve been watching a lot of the TV show Survivor lately. As part of this competition for a million dollars, contestants are put through their paces in physical challenges. During these challenges, ceramics, of all things, often get shafted. It happens so often, it got my attention. The moderator, Jeff, is forever encouraging players to assail tiles, pots, and effigies with all manner of rocks, hammers, and slingshots.
I think I get why the producers use this gimmick. There’s something a bit primal and definitely final about smashing a pot or a tile to pieces. Effectively, there’s no coming back from that. Maybe that’s the idea. It’s also a bit taboo. Plus, breaking pots is a loud and messy business, so it’s full of drama, for sure. It might be a stretch, but I even see a connection between pottery, domesticity, and the nascent society engineered for the show.
Maybe I’m reading too much into this. Regardless, my thanks to the good folks at Survivor. They put ceramics in the spotlight – even if it is in pieces. ∆
