Bouchra Khalili - The Circle, Timeline for a Constellation
| Author | Bouchra Khalili |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Book Works |
| ISBN | 9781912570300 |
| Idea Code | 260178 |
The Circle concludes Bouchra Khalili’s ten-year investigation into the Arab Workers Movement (MTA), focusing on its theatre troupes, Al Assifa (the tempest) and Al Halaka (the circle, the assembly). Formed by undocumented North African workers in France (1973-1978), the MTA’s theatre groups were central elements in several of Khalili’s works. The book brings together archival materials, chronological elements, essays, interviews with members of Al Assifa and Al Halaka, performers from The Circle, and a contribution and conversations with the artist. This ‘constellated’ examination highlights the MTA theatre troupes’ pioneering exploration of emancipatory belonging, agency, and artistic expression as fundamental human rights. These experiments culminated in the 1974 presidential candidacy of Djellali Kamal, an anonymous member of Al Assifa. Despite remaining anonymous, Kamal’s candidacy symbolized the potential for a new, egalitarian community, brought to life through performance. Bouchra Khalili is a French-Moroccan artist born in Casablanca in 1975, based in Vienna and working on a travelling basis. Her multidisciplinary practice encompasses film, video, installation, photography, screen printing, textiles, and publishing.
| 168 p, ills colour & bw, 19 x 27 cm, pb, English |
Book Works
