CARHENGE, PILLARS OF THE UNDERGROUND
Glastonbury’s own henge is back for 2024
Created from 24 mutated iconic vintage cars erected in William’s Green, Carhenge is a monumental immersive installation by visionary underground artist and founder of the Mutoid Waste Company Joe Rush, whose giant mechanical sculptures have been a huge part of the festival for nearly 40 years.
Each lintel plays tribute to an iconic pillar of counterculture, a culture liberated from conformism and consumerism. Revolutionary heroines and heroes from the margins of society, including longtime collaborator and friend of Joe’s, Vivienne Westwood, Hawkwind icon, Nik Turner, father of Afrobeat Fela Kuti, and Lee Scratch Perry, pioneer of dub, reggae and ska.
A symbol of the Mutoid credo : the art made of waste, free parties and the road, Carhenge, will be brought to life through a hypnotic show of lights from designer Ed Warren, and the chaotic sounds of Fulu Miziki or “music from the garbage” in lingala. From the centre of the henge these “African Mutoids” from Kinshasa, dressed in scrap, fusing music, art, dance and fashion, will perform and play their afrofuturist beats with percussion instruments made of trash.
Echoing the night long drumming sessions of the original 1987 Carhenge, percussionists Joe Bucket and Katanga Sound will be adding their own flavour to the circle, along with daily processions from the Notting Hill Carnival crew. The percussion frenzy will come to a head on Saturday night when all the acts join together for an epic drumming jam.
When the drums stop, a series of audio ‘soundscapes’ will accompany Carhenge each journeying deep into the subversive spirit of the characters represented in the circle, with music, sounds and spoken word.
Follow Carhenge on Instagram
Check out Fulu Miziki’s latest album below
