„ Go Back to Your Country “

April 2022 , digital media, 48 x 30 cm

When I used to live in the States, I was always stopped at the customs upon arrival at JFK airport. As I nervously try to give out the correct answer to “what’s your purpose of entrance”,  the officer would take away my passport, and ask me to proceed to a little side room. There, along with some other frustrated passengers, we were not allowed to use cellphones or having any outside contact. For 30 minutes we wait, or 2 hours, or the night. Until our names were called again. 

To this date I still don’t comprehend this suspicion of my origin, but I suppose that is just a part of being foreign, coming from a contested country and having a confusing name.