The exhibition “Cotton Under My Feet: The Zurich Chapter” by artist Walid Raad opens on August 16th at the Kunsthaus Zurich.
Walid Raad, a Lebanese contemporary artist, is renowned for his innovative and often provocative works that explore themes of history, memory, and the representation of conflict, particularly in relation to the Lebanese Civil War. His work frequently blurs the lines between reality and fiction, crafting narratives that challenge the viewer's perception of truth and history.
In the exhibition “Cotton Under My Feet: The Zurich Chapter”, accompanied by a walkthrough, Walid Raad envisions and narrates various aesthetic encounters with unusual artifacts. By juxtaposing his own works with objects from the Thyssen-Bornemisza and Kunsthaus collections, Raad seeks to unravel the strangeness of these artifacts, delving into the layered histories embedded within and surrounding them. The result is a complex network of narratives that intuitively and intriguingly connects the history of the collections with the political, social, and economic history of the modern world.
Raad also addresses central questions about the role of museums in the 21st century, questioning what specific forms of storytelling museums allow today and what art institutions represent as the boundaries between private and public collections increasingly blur. This inquiry is particularly relevant to Kunsthaus Zürich, as evidenced by its handling of the Emil Bührle collection.
The project is the first cooperation between the Kunsthaus Zürich and the Zürcher Theater Spektakel.
At the Kunsthaus Zurich until 3 December 2024.