Walid Raad's 'Cotton Under My Feet' at Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza

Walid Raad's exhibition 'Cotton Under My Feet' at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid, commissioned by TBA21 and curated by Daniela Zyman, commemorates the centenary of Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza. The project, developed over three years of archival research, comprises four interpretive spaces on the first and second floors and a scenic installation in the basement. It integrates works from the collection, photographs, advertising-style installations, and site-specific montages into a narrative labyrinth blending history and fiction. Key elements include a Persian carpet weighing less than expected, silver and crystal vases attracting insects, seven paintings with clouds on their reverse, 285 angels identified in the collection (matching the biblical count), twin paintings by Martin Johnson Heade featuring anomalous 'gremlins,' and the esoteric beliefs of a fictional Russian restorer, Lamia Antonova. The exhibition dialogues with masterpieces such as Giovanni Bellini's and El Greco's Annunciations, Andrea della Robbia's terracotta angels, and Lucian Freud's portrait of the baron. Raad, who suffers from photophobia and prohibits recording, conducts performative guided tours throughout the installation. A detailed booklet in Spanish and English allows visitors to explore the narrative independently. The exhibition runs until January 9, 2022.