During Strøm Festival, The sound wells under Solbjerg square forms the stage for a fictional world.
With the work "Sewage people", sound artist Julie Østengaard has created a sonic dystopia, where imaginative beings who live in the secluded wells observe the busy world above. In a toxic bubbling and absurd universe, an existence of productivity, self-realization and consumerism is mirrored through echoes of digital and fragmented voices.

This surreal collage mixes humor and absurdity with reality. AI-generated fake ads playfully promise the impossible - to achieve it all without stress. A satirical reflection on the modern obsession with success and "having it all."

"Sewage people" delves into the human psyche in a busy urban landscape. The captivating sounds that envelop the square invite passers-by to explore the paradoxes of our digitized culture.

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Commissioned by Strøm Festival 2023

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About the Sound Wells

32 speakers are installed below ground in 32 wells all around the city square of Bent Fabricius-Bjerres Plads (Solbjerg Plads) on Frederiksberg, creating an underground sound system and a unique musical platform below our feet called Lydbrøndene (The Sound Wells).

This multichannel sound system allows for musicians and sound artists to create multidimensional and dynamic soundscapes that curious visitors and passers-by can walk through and explore on their own.