Lokum—also known as Turkish delight—commonly evokes sweetness and softness, a texture experienced by both fingers and mouth. In recent years, artist Doruntina Kastrati conducted a series of interviews with her mother, Fitnete Veselaj-Kastrati, and her former colleagues. They recalled shifts in a lokum factory, reflecting on repetition, silence, and the political weight embedded in everyday gestures.

Grounded in oral history, A Horn That Swallows Songs explores the invisible labour (of women) in Istanbul's Turkish delight factories and the bodily conditions behind the production of softness. Echoing factory architecture, Kastrati's sculptural environment is inspired by confectionery equipment. Monotonous rhythms, prolonged standing, and low-frequency vibrations transmitted through the floor evoke the physical experience of industrial labour. Documentary footage and interviews reveal the distance between lived realities and commercial narratives imposed by management, exposing regimes of control, silence, and visibility. In this Free School on malleability, Doruntina Kastrati’s immersive installation marks her first presentation in Brussels. Working across sculpture, video, and sound, her practice examines gendered labour and how bodies absorb and resist industrial systems.