Mark Wallinger, the Turner Prize laureate, erected an installation at Glastonbury Festival, shedding light on the tragic deaths of children in Gaza.
The 2022 Glastonbury Festival was a vibrant display of political and artistic expression, with numerous performances and installations that addressed pressing social issues and international conflicts.
Mark Wallinger's anti-fascist art installation, Jungle Gym, was a significant highlight at the Terminal 1 Stage. Part of the exhibition "No Human is Illegal" curated by Oriana Garzón, Jungle Gym commented on the challenges faced by migrants, including bureaucratic hurdles reminiscent of Kafkaesque nightmares. Festivalgoers entering Terminal 1 were required to answer a question from the British citizenship test, with those answering incorrectly being sent to the back of the line. The installation, constructed around a jungle gym at its centre and surrounded by chainlink fencing, contrasted an ideal of childhood with the actuality for many people. Mark Wallinger also emphasised the suffering of children in Gaza, using Unicef blue, or cyan, as the colour for Jungle Gym.
Another political statement came from Bob Vylan, a punk duo, who led the crowd in a chant of "Death, death to the IDF," stirring controversy at the festival. Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed reprobation towards Bob Vylan's actions.
Meanwhile, the British art activist group Led by Donkeys installed a billboard at Block9, featuring the slogan "Send them to Mars... while we party on Earth," with images of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Keir Starmer in spacesuits, marching toward a rocket. The artists behind the billboard criticised the notion that Earth is temporary and expendable, stating that Earth is the only place where humanity can thrive.
The 2022 festival also took place in the aftermath of the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, sparking discussions and protests related to abortion rights. The festival included a powerful video message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressing the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, which was a major political focus of the event.
Garzón described Terminal 1 as a safe space for the migrant community, with many artists performing at Terminal 1 being migrants themselves. Despite calls for their removal due to pro-Palestine messages they displayed during their Coachella set, Belfast rap group Kneecap performed at Glastonbury.
However, before Glastonbury, organisers received a letter signed by 30 figures in the music industry urging them to remove Kneecap from the lineup due to one member's alleged support for Hezbollah. Neil Young attempted to block the BBC from broadcasting his headline set at Glastonbury, accusing the outlet of being "under corporate control."
In conclusion, the 2022 Glastonbury Festival was a testament to the power of art and music as a platform for political expression and social change. From Mark Wallinger's Jungle Gym to Bob Vylan's controversial chant, the festival once again demonstrated its commitment to addressing pressing social issues and fostering open discussions.
- Mark Wallinger's installation, Jungle Gym, was part of the exhibition "No Human is Illegal," curated by Oriana Garzón, and was displayed at the 2022 Glastonbury Festival.
- The British art activist group, Led by Donkeys, installed a billboard at Block9, criticizing the notion that Earth is temporary and expendable, with images of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Keir Starmer in spacesuits, marching towards a rocket.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine in a powerful video message at the 2022 Glastonbury Festival, making it a major political focus of the event.
- Despite calls for their removal due to pro-Palestine messages, Belfast rap group Kneecap performed at Glastonbury, after receiving a letter signed by 30 figures in the music industry urging the festival organizers to remove them from the lineup due to one member's alleged support for Hezbollah. Neil Young also attempted to block the BBC from broadcasting his headline set at the festival, accusing the outlet of being "under corporate control."
