Dia del Lavado, c.2014

This photograph is from my first trip to Havana. As much as I adore the capture, I have only shown it once.

While I celebrated the honesty of this image, I also struggled with its intimacy. Such a private moment. A photograph made by some American (me), who just happened to be standing on an adjacent rooftop for completely unrelated reasons… on laundry day.

A couple of years later, after my 2nd trip to Havana, I shared the image with a few Cubans I’d gotten to know, and with an online group on the now defunct, “Google+” platform. The discussions were lively and passionate.

For example:
”La riqueza de mi Cuba se mide por su solidaridad, compromiso y entrega a los pueblos que lo necesitan aunque nosotros estemos inmersos en muchos problemas producto del cruel bloqueo a nuestra isla por más de 50 años…”
- My Cuba's richness is measured by its solidarity and commitment to the countries who need it, even if we have even bigger problems because of the cruel blockade to our island for over 50 years.

“así es el comunismo socialista del siglo XXI nadie quiere este comunismo DIOS mío,por eso hay que saber por quien tiene que dar su voto, no se dejen engañar de políticos que prometen mucho y compran sus votos con dineros, mercados, esos son corruptos…”
-That is the socialist communism of the XXI century, my GOD, no one wants this communism, that is why you need to know who to vote for, don't let yourselves be fooled by politicians that promise a lot and buy their votes with money, markets, those are corrupted.

In the end, the consensus was (paraphrasing):
“This is life n La Habana, for better or for worse. Hiding it changes nothing.”

It’s been several years since I’ve shown my work from Havana. I’m looking forward to including this piece in the next exhibition.