Frome artist’s work featured in Glastonbury Festival ‘Live at Worthy Farm’ livestream

WORK by Frome textile artist Gladys Paulus was featured prominently during Glastonbury Festival’s live stream ‘Live at Worthy Farm’ (the music and art festival’s first ever online ticketed festival) which took place in May, and its subsequent airing on BBC2 television.

The 5-hour event, which was directed by Grammy nominated director Paul Dugdale, saw music performances across a range of genres, linked by short artistic interludes. These interludes included poetry and spoken word performances by (among others) PJ Harvey, Kae Tempest and George the Poet, with two interludes focusing solely on a fox character wearing a hand felted mask made by Gladys Paulus. 

In the first clip, linking a performance by Jorja Smith with a performance by The Smile, the fox is seen cycling on a dark Worthy Farm track on a lit-up bicycle. In the second clip, linking The Smile with a performance by Kano, the fox is seen sitting on the edge of the stream at Turner’s Bridge, laughing eerily to himself. In both clips, the mask is worn by Bruton man Noel Radford. 

 Gladys, who works from a studio in Frome, but whose master classes in specialist felt making techniques are in demand across the world, says, “I was approached a few weeks before the event, as the director had ideas for filming with an animal mask. It was all a bit last minute, but I’m a big music fan and love the festival, and it was exciting to be part of it in my own little way. Besides, the pandemic has had a massive impact on my international teaching work, so it was wonderful to be reminded of the world ‘out there’. 

“ The whole 5-hour event was beautifully and imaginatively lit and shot. The fox added a little touch of Glastonbury theatre and magic. I’m really pleased that he was given such a central role and am grateful to Kristen Lindop for recommending me to the Glastonbury team.” 

On 27th June, BBC2 aired the documentary Live At Worthy Farm: Backstage presented by Jo Whiley, which tells the story of how this once in a lifetime event was put together. It was followed by Live At Worthy Farm: Highlights, featuring a selection of performances from the artists who took part in the event, including Gladys’ fox. Both events can be watched on BBC iplayer.