When Zaq originally won his two-acre Utah plot off eBay in 2005, he did so with the minimum bid of $610 dollars. Images of the property came with a bright red disclaimer that read, "This might not actually be your land."
'The Decennial Monument' in Zaqistan, erected in September 2015
Landsberg atop the 'Victory Arch,' which is "a monument to an unspecified victory"
Everything is amplified in this stretch of the desert. Jackson Chapman, a Salt Lake City resident and recent Zaqistani tourist, had told me before the trip, "Sometimes your ears can ring from the sound of nothing."A place like Zaqistan could not exist without a healthy dose of insanity. Not only has Zaq dumped thousands of dollars into the whole thing—he estimates costs of five grand for this year's trip and monument, and somewhere between $15,000–20,000 in expenses for the ten years of Zaqistan's existence. But he's somehow managed to convince a handful of others, like me and Scott, to volunteer their labor. In fact, he considers their slightly psychotic mentalities to be the defining characteristic of Zaqistani citizens to begin with. "There definitely is a certain Zaqistani mindset," he solemnly remarked, "in the same sense that there is a Raider Nation."Perhaps that's why Scott and I had started working on the project without Zaq ever asking. Ever since I first heard about Zaqistan, in 2013, I have identified with it. It's closer to my ideals than the United States is, and a look at my medical bills will confirm that. Zaqistan doesn't have a hospital, but if we did, it would be free. Education would be free, and refugees would be welcome. I'm Zaqistani—Zaqistan is the home I have always wanted, even though I had not been able to go there until now.On Motherboard: Is It Art? Artists Are Turning Their Work into Startups
Zaqistan works best as a probing of what is real. I mean, is Iraq a real country? It is from maps and borders or whatever, but effectively it's way more complicated than that. What about Kurdistan? Is IS a real nation? If not, why not? –Zaq Landsberg
'Mount Insurmountable,' at roughly five feet tall, is the highest natural point in Zaqistan
