Ghassan Ghaib at L.A. Center for Digital Art

Artists' Statement

This migratory bird is intensely returning to its first nest, with a circular motion-back and forth. I was amazed by how this bird’s journey was similar to my own in terms of what I have lived, and experienced and still living its condition with all its sweet and bitter details; beginning from my asylum to Sweden in (2007) and my lack of acceptance found its way through since then. Even my asylum in the United States of America, where I am supposed to find stability and security has been lacking, on the other hand. As if I was that adventurous bird that carries a bag of belongings to retake their lives in any city they come down and land in. The war, political persecution, violence, famine, and ethnic cleansing.

These refugees have left everything behind by taking a new adventure, forced to deal with it like a different environment, different systems, a whole new language, conditions of racial discrimination, education, work fields, and so on. The Swallow’s Journey project aims to document and highlight the suffering of these refugees on their long journey to authorized asylum countries. Or, to prevent and avoid wars and fruitless conflicts that encourage people choosing asylum for the sake of safety and well being.