Bouchra Khalili – The Speeches Series—Words on the Streets

Words on Streets is part of The Speeches Series, a video trilogy that explores language (Chapter 1), citizenship (Chapter 2), and labor (Chapter 3). Developed collaboratively with members of migrant communities in Paris, Genoa, and New York, The Speeches Series highlights the power of speech and performance as tools for imagining alternative ways of belonging. For Words on Streets, Bouchra Khalili worked with five immigrants living in Genoa, Italy—where, during the 2001 G8 summit, undocumented workers organized the first-ever demonstration in Italy to demand equal rights in the workplace. In this piece, the non-professional performers created original manifestos that explore ideas of nationality, citizenship, and belonging, reflecting on more inclusive forms of community.

Bouchra Khalili

Bouchra Khalili is a Moroccan-French visual artist based in Vienna, working itinerantly. Her multidisciplinary practice spans film, video, installation, photography, printmaking, textiles, and editorial platforms. Through her work, she develops collaborative storytelling strategies with members of communities excluded from citizen membership.

Through her practice, she offers poetic hypotheses that explore new ways of imagining community. Khalili’s work has been featured in numerous international solo exhibitions, including at the Luma Foundation, Zurich (2025); Sharjah Art Foundation (2024); National Museum of Contemporary Art, Athens (2024); Museum of Contemporary Art, Barcelona (2023); Luma Foundation, Arles (2023); Bildmuseet Umeå (2021); Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (2019); Jeu de Paume National Gallery, Paris (2018); and MoMA, Museum of Modern Art, New York (2016). She has also participated in major group exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale (2024, 2013), Sharjah Biennale (2023, 2011), and Sydney Biennale (2012), among others