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The big gig pig will set joint jumping!

From the archive, first published Friday 8th Jun 2007.

A giant pig sculpted by artists in Baildon will be making children squeal with excitement at this year's Glastonbury Festival.

The 12ft long, 8ft tall polystyrene pig is currently being painted gold in celebration of China's year of the golden pig, which is celebrated once every six decades and is supposed to bring good luck and prosperity.

The creation is down to artists from art and community group, Hugh Jart, headed by Shipley man, Charlie Charles.

The sculpture will be taken to Glastonbury on a trailer and Charlie admits they will be getting some strange looks on the journey.

The creation will then be placed 20ft above the ground on a telegraph pole in the children's field.

The pig was originally commissioned for a festival to celebrate the new millennium, along with other animals, to represent the irony of the 21st century farming industry.

Now the pig, which was originally pink, has been recycled to create a spectacular attraction for Glastonbury.

Dad-of-two Charlie will be heading a team of artists, who will also encourage youngsters to unleash their artistic talents and paint on a giant screen.

The group is so called because it produces large pieces of art, including murals and sculptures, one of which used Mini cars to build a replica of Stonehenge.

The murals have been a trademark activity of the group since it was set up in 1995, when an 18ft by 8ft canvas proved to be a huge success at a fun day in Ilkley.

Charlie said: "Our initial aim was to bring people together by inviting them to join in and produce huge collaborative works of art.

"We were invited to Glastonbury Festival last year and given £500, ten tickets and a space to produce a 40ft mural. Throughout the festival we were inundated and enthusiastic people wanted to join us and praised us for coming up with such a fantastic idea. We were booked to do several other gigs there and then, which has kept us busy for every summer since."

The group completes around 15 large paintings every year for festival and community events all over the country and abroad. Hugh Jart proved a hit in the Middle East, where work was produced at festivals and events in Dubai and Bahrain.

The group is also working on a futuristic train sculpture for York's National Railway Museum and the project has involved local school children. It will be on display at the museum and will then be showcased on a tour as an outreach project.

Tony Cordy, area co-ordinator for the children's field at this year's Glastonbury Festival, said the youngsters would be astounded' and amazed' at the sight of the golden pig.

He added: "Hugh Jart have been coming to the festival for quite some time and help to encourage the children to take part in graffiti art.

"Glastonbury is Britain's largest free children's festival and the idea is for them to come along and have a go at something like the murals or to learn a circus skill or get their faces painted."

The group is currently based at an industrial unit in Baildon, but is set to move to new premises in Keighley. For more information about the artists, log on to www.hughjart.co.uk

e-mail: mel.fairhurst

@bradford.newsquest.co.uk