At the heart of The Obligation of the Circle are new tapestries that map intertwined narratives of migration, gendered labour, and the yearning for homecoming. If Benton’s earlier Carpet Souq project focused on the lives of men inhabiting the upper levels of the souk, this new body of work turns toward the labour of women in Kabul, constructing a ‘cartography of return’ that connects intimate acts of weaving to broader histories of displacement, care, and community. Through convening diverse audiences around shared acts of making and storytelling, Benton invites reflection on how urban narratives are shaped, how communities coexist, and how artists can build spaces of empathy and exchange within their environments.
The show also features a selection from Benton’s personal collection of Afghan war carpets, as well as a community wall, a large-scale photographic installation accompanied by printed images documenting interventions that have taken place in the souk. Together, these elements generate a dialogue between memory, territory, and collective practice, transforming the gallery into a site of encounter and reflection.
Additionally, the project welcomes discursive and process-based contributions from other voices that orbit Benton’s practice, including Marisa Morán Jahn (SMVisS ’07), Faustin Linyekula, and others, whose dialogues with the artist expand the understanding of community. This ecology of collaboration is reflected in the fact that proceeds from the production of the works support Zuleya, a social enterprise dedicated to preserving Afghanistan’s ancient weaving traditions through education, free healthcare, and sustainable employment.
The exhibition expands on the artist’s ongoing inquiry into civic imagination and collective belonging. By convening diverse publics around shared acts of making and storytelling, Benton invites reflection on how urban narratives are shaped, how communities coexist, and how artists can produce spaces of empathy and exchange within their environments. The Obligation of the Circle opened on November 21, 2025 and will remain on view until March 13, 2026.
