On January 27, 2017 President Trump issued an executive order blocking refugees and visitors with passports from seven Muslim-majority countries. Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. This order affects about 218 million people who are citizens of these countries. Under the ban, millions of people fleeing violence; hoping to visit their families and loved ones, access medical treatment, pursue their careers; and many more are banned from entering the United States. Banning people based on religion, by a country founded on religious freedom and liberty. All because of President Trump’s distribution of hate and doubt towards nationals of these countries.

Since Iran’s revolution, the view towards my country has been different to the way it was before. Sanctions after sanctions, ban after ban. Despite having moved to the UK 11 years ago, and being a British citizen, my background and being from Iran makes these sanctions and bans to follow me.

In this world of connections and accessibility I am still bound by limitations. With my partner living in NY for 5 years, and not being able to visit a country and being banned only based on religion and ethnicity, being referred to as a “problem to the west”. It’s a great challenge. A feeling of unknown, a touch of powerlessness, an unfair treatment, for being generalised and marginalised to my nationality, religion, and place of birth. How can another country’s politics affect me this to this extent?

This project is about taking control, and capturing this reality, through mediation of a fantasy trip to the United States. Using borrowed photos from google reviews and other’s experiences and descriptions to Maybe this trip will reclaim this lost sense of humanity, and the power that comes with it. I see this dream journey as a path to fulfilment of my unrealistic wishes. Human experience is all about moving through space time reality, but not being allowed to travel there, my human experience and human potential has been diminished, but so has my partner’s, even though being an American citizen, this also affects him. Spending time together, creates an energy for us to create in the world, but with the ban, this potential is diminished.

This fantasy and imaginary travel journal is the only way we can experience and get what we want, and to look forward to a day where this fantasy becomes reality. It is through the distribution of this journal, and giving this to my partner, that we get to experience this journey together, and the shared experiences of the individuals referenced in the work that brings this journey to life, as well as its publication to share information of experiences.

I have chosen to create this fantasy journey in the form of a travel journal, to then follow the journey of this guide to its different location.

The travel guide is a hypothetical four day Christmas holiday that we would spend together. Our first holidays together. All the places that he would take me, where I would take him. Meeting the significant people in his life, his town, and his environment.