I was talking with Cuba

A few weeks ago I returned from Cuba. During my stay, I took a lot of notes in a notebook and, of course, I took photos, my best form of journaling.

I have tried to capture what I saw through writing, to give coherence to my sensations through words. However, I have only managed to fill pages of drafts. Sentences get stuck and paragraphs are left halfway. Any verbal narrative is insufficient.

Fortunately, I have photography, which, even though it is also insufficient, is my saving grace in the immense sea of emotions and thoughts that Cuba provokes in me, even though it is 7,000 kilometers away.

Man on a bicycle in a street in Holguín — I heard the whistle from a corner and there was the postman. On a street in Holguín. Photo: Kaloian.

Woman with book on a street in the city of Holguin — She tells that she is a model and poses for me in a corner of the city that she loves the most. Photo: Kaloian.

Cuba is a country of many nuances, which makes each photograph significant. Each image is a piece of a puzzle that reveals a part of its complexity.

Man sells turkeys and chickens — He passed among the people selling turkeys and chickens. In the background, as in a Cartier-Bresson scene, other characters in the scene. Photo: Kaloian.

Cuba has also taught me to look beyond appearances, to listen to the voice that is hidden behind some smiles and glances; sometimes jubilant, sometimes melancholic. Each shot is an echo of one of the many realities of a country full of life and culture, and at the same time enormous challenges and contradictions.

Neighbors on a street in Havana — Neighbors. Photo: Kaloian.

The barber of La Estrella, in Gibara. He has been doing this job for forty years. Photo: Kaloian.

Boy with a fish in his hand on the Malecón in Havana — This time I felt the need, like never before, to stop to take portraits while walking through the streets.
Fishing on the boardwalk. Photo: Kaloian.

A portrait goes beyond posing in front of a camera. It supposes trust and openness, a fleeting channel through which to share a part of oneself. For the photographer it is a responsibility to capture even a small part of the essence of the person portrayed.

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Archbishop of Havana proclaimed cardinal by Pope Francis in 2019. Photo: CNS/Paul Haring.

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Woman on a beach in Cuba — She came out of the sea smiling while I prowled along the coast of Caletones with my camera. Photo: Kaloian.

man smokes tobacco — In the heart of the city of Holguín, I came across this watchmaker, whom I have known since I was a child, with the doors of his house open, his fixed gaze and his cigar. As if time had not passed. Photo: Kaloian.

If we sharpen our eyes and go through the details of the snapshots as if it were a map, each one shows the diversity of the human being. Behind each portrait there is also a unique personal story, individual stories that are interwoven with the collective history of the country.

Street vendor in Caletones. She is 72 years old. Photo: Kaloian.

Woman in the municipality of Cojimar — In Cojimar. Photo: Kaloian.

This is why this series of portraits of Cuban men and women that I ran into at random in the big city (Havana), in my homeland (Holguín), in a coastal town (Gibara and Cojímar) or a hamlet where the sea and the field merge like a hug (Caletones) goes beyond the capture of an image. Portraying implies the responsibility of looking beyond the surface. Through each wrinkle, each gesture and each look, we peek into a story.

A cuban family — They have been married for almost sixty years. They were sitting in their house in Gibara. They invited me in. They showed me their patio full of plants and affably posed for this photo and others that I later sent them printed. Photo: Kaloian.

Man with glasses in a corner of the city — In Centro Habana, sitting in a corner, watching time go by. Photo: Kaloian.

Before photographing them, we shared a few minutes. I never wrote down their names; I was talking with Cuba. Yes, each portrait is part of the collective story of the country. Behind each image there are heavy loads and also dreams of an entire nation.