"The significance of the archive in modernity and in contemporary art; writings by Sigmund Freud, Michel Foucault, Hal Foster, and others, and essays on the archival practice of such artists as Gerhard Richter, Christian Boltanski, Renée Green, and The Atlas Group.In the modern era, the archive -- official or personal -- has become the most significant means by which historical knowledge and memory are collected, stored, and recovered. T ..."
"This publication brings together 17 visual essays by Walid Raad, covering the genesis and development of The Atlas Group--a 12-year research project documenting Lebanon's recent history, with particular emphasis on war, from 1975 to 1990."
"Volume three of Raad's series of artist's books includes recent work that focuses on the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 and on the ammunition trade during Lebanon's civil war. Raad produces performances, videos and photographs; in 1999, he founded The Atlas Group, a fictitious archive that documents the contemporary history of Lebanon."