Somerset Rural Life Museum Marks Return of Glastonbury Festival

An exhibition of photographs from 20 years of the iconic Glastonbury Festival opens at Somerset Rural Life Museum this summer. The images have been captured by Somerset-based photographer Jason Bryant who has chosen his personal favourites for this special exhibition to mark the return of the live festival.

‘Music, Mud, Mayhem: Photographing Glastonbury Festival’ features more than 50 iconic performances from 1997 to 2019. Visitors can re-live stand-out moments including Stormzy’s headlining set in 2019, Dolly Parton’s legends slot in 2014, Jay Z’s famous rebuttal of Noel Gallagher in 2008, and David Bowie’s performance in 2000 - often regarded as the greatest festival gig of all time.

Jason Bryant said: “The images capture the crowds and the spectacle as well as the generosity and positivity which are so characteristic of the festival.”

Jason’s photographs also reflect the creative and physical growth of the festival, which has more than doubled in size since 1997. In 2019 it welcomed over 200,000 people, making it a true ‘city in the fields’. The exhibition further explores some of the festival’s enduring themes from love, community and self expression to the crowds and the weather.
The exhibition opens just two weeks before this year’s festival (22nd to 26th June) which features a line-up including Billie Eilish, Paul McCartney, Kendrick Lamar and Diana Ross. Jason will be at the festival to capture its much-anticipated return in his photography. Both the 2020 and 2021 live festivals were cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. 2020 would have been the festival’s 50th anniversary year. 

‘Music, Mud, Mayhem: Photographing Glastonbury Festival’ is open at the Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury from 11th June to 4th September. Throughout the school summer holidays there will be an associated programme of family-friendly, festival-themed activities taking place.

Find out more at www.srlm.org.uk. 

Photo by Jason Bryant. ‘Community’ is amongst the festival themes explored within the exhibition.