Iman Tajik

I Had a Dream

I Had a Dream is a public art intervention by Iman Tajik, commissioned by Art Walk Projects and unveiled during Art Walk Porty on 4–5 September 2021. The work reflects on the countless unrecorded and tragic deaths at sea of migrants and refugees who embark on dangerous journeys, often towards lands far from their homes in hope of safety, dignity, or a better future.

Installed for just one weekend at Morton Street Beach Groyne, the piece was designed as a momentary but powerful presence — a visual reminder of the human cost of migration, particularly in the routes leading to UK shores. Alongside the installation, Tajik debuted a new film referencing the documented number of lives lost and migrants missing at sea to the UK in 2020, giving voice and visibility to those whose stories often go unnoticed.

Through I Had a Dream, Tajik invites viewers to reflect on shared responsibility, empathy, and remembrance. By making visible what is often invisible, the project is both memorial and call to awareness, urging society not to forget those who risk everything in pursuit of hope. More information at www.artwalkporty.co.uk/project/welcome-to-portobello/