Which stories do museums tell in the 21st century and which not? What effects do the »gaps« have on the perception of the exhibits and how can they be seen in a different light? The internationally renowned artist Walid Raad explores these questions himself in an exhibition: In Walid Raad: Cotton Under My Feet: The Zurich Chapter, Raad himself guides visitors through the Kunsthaus Zurich in approximately 80-minute performance tours. The artist has been organizing his so-called walkthroughs for many years, for example at the Hamburger Kunsthalle in 2023. Using the collection of Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza (1921-2002), which has been on display at the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid since 1993, Raad explores Persian carpets, medieval cups, paintings of swamps and moors and other exhibits from a new perspective in an imaginary world, which he links to important events in human history and current events. The exhibition is open from August 16 to November 3.
Walid Raad was born in Lebanon in 1967 and has lived in the USA since 1983. Raad initially studied photography before expanding his artistic repertoire to include film, multimedia installations and public performances. Raad has exhibited at documenta 11 and 13 (2002, 2012) in Kassel and was represented at the Venice Biennale (2003) and the Whitney Biennial (2000, 2002). His numerous awards include the Hasselblad Foundation Award (2011), which is considered the most important award for photography.
