{"product_id":"the-circle-timeline-for-a-constellation-bouchra-khalili","title":"The Circle: Timeline for a Constellation, Bouchra Khalili","description":"\u003carticle data-turn=\"assistant\" data-scroll-anchor=\"true\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-118\" data-turn-id=\"request-WEB:a6ebb8f4-90d7-4e8b-9653-5ab7afbaff87-58\" dir=\"auto\" class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [\u0026amp;:has([data-writing-block])\u0026gt;*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] thread-sm:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] thread-lg:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] thread-lg:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col grow\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-mini\" data-message-id=\"104f175e-8164-47aa-a7a7-7c0be3881979\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" dir=\"auto\" class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-1\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full break-words light markdown-new-styling\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Circle: Timeline for a Constellation\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003econcludes 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 Khalili’s works\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Tempest Society\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(2017) and the book of the same title (Book Works, 2019), the sound piece\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eAn Audio Family Album\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(2020) and the multi-screen film installations\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Circle, and The Storytellers\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(2023) and\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Public Storyteller\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(2024).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe publication brings together archival materials, chronological elements, essays, interviews with members of Al Assifa and Al Halaka, performers from\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Circle\u003c\/em\u003e, 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis publication invites a new generation of readers to reflect on the lasting legacy of Al Assifa and Al Halaka, exploring how performance and storytelling can harness transformative civic power.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/article\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublished by Book Works\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eHardcover\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e168 pages\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e190 x 270 mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eISBN \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e9781912570300\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Book Works","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56974684455243,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2538\/3478\/files\/TS_TheCircle.webp?v=1775578970","url":"https:\/\/www.thelibraryproject.ie\/de\/products\/the-circle-timeline-for-a-constellation-bouchra-khalili","provider":"The Library Project","version":"1.0","type":"link"}