Born in 1967 in Chbanieh in Lebanon, Walid Raad is an artist whose work reflects the troubled history of his country of origin, which he has witnessed since childhood. By collecting, modifying and creating photographs, texts, and videos, he plays on the idea of the document as it relates to the civil war and the troubles between communities that have shaken this territory. The artist infuses his depictions with a cloudiness intended to throw doubt on the notion of documentation itself and posing a profound question about how History is constructed. "Scratching on Things I Could Disavow: A History of Art in the Arab World" expands upon the research-based methodology of Raad’s The Atlas Group (1989–2004), the visual and performative archival project he has initiated to document the social, political, psychological and aesthetic conditions of the Lebanese wars (1975–1990/91). The new project marks a critical juncture in Raad’s practice, at once a departure from The Atlas Group while expanding its historical and theoretical reference. His works have been exhibited at The Venice Biennale (Venice), The Whitney Biennial (New York), and numerous other festivals in Europe, the Middle East, and North America.

“ The truth will be known when the last witness is dead. „

—Walid Raad