Josefine Opsahl: YEAST

New Sound Work to Transform the Raw History of the Spirit Factory into a Contemporary Sensory Distillate

We are proud to announce that composer Josefine Opsahl will create a major three-part sound work titled YEAST, composed specifically for Kunsthal Spritten’s spaces and history, in close collaboration with Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, Nordjyske Museer, and Aalborg City Archives.

Drawing on the site’s unique architecture, acoustics, and human stories, YEAST unfolds in three interconnected parts:

• A symphonic work inspired by the site’s history, premiered by the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra
• A permanent, building-integrated sound installation for the art hall’s forthcoming 20-meter-high entrance hall, created in collaboration with composer and producer Tomas Kærup
• A folk song inspired by workers’ stories and archival material from the former distillery

“The title YEAST refers to the fermentation process, in which raw materials are transformed into new substances. In a similar way, the work acts as an artistic distillate that transforms the Spirit Factory’s raw history into a sensory, contemporary portrait of the place and its significance – both locally and globally,” says composer Josefine Opsahl about the work.

She adds: “The work’s three parts enable radically different sensory, spatial, and social experiences. Together they form a complete large-scale composition – like a triptych – that gently takes the listener by the hand on a unique sensory journey.”

Before the transformation from boiler hall to art hall began in earnest, Josefine Opsahl recorded sounds in the abandoned building, and these recordings will be integrated into the forthcoming sound work.