Al Halqa Kinetics

Djemaa el-Fna is a marketplace in Marrakesh filled with dance, song, stories, acrobatics, magic tricks and fortune-telling. The onlookers gather in so-called "halqas", or circles, around the performers and storytellers to admire their artistry and skill. The UNESCO placed this location on its list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001.
The interactive walk-in room sculpture by Thomas Ladenburger and Hannes Nehls attempted to reconstruct this unique location with the aid of projectors, light, film and acoustics. The ubiquitous tradition of oral storytelling is hardly cultivated anymore in Central Europe and has probably never possessed the performative energy that radiates from Djemaa el-Fna. This installation went on display in Berlin and Paris.

Artistic directors: Thomas Ladenburger, Hannes Nehls
Participants: Elfi Mikesch (AT), Mohamed Hassan El-Joundi (MA), Mathew Karau (USA)

Venues and schedule:
House of World Cultures, Berlin, July 2011
Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris; September 2011