For the past several weeks I been writing about my recent trip to Cuba. I was able to visit through the sponsorship of Santa Fe Workshops and the CNP in Cuba. It was a wonderful ten-day excursion with a small group of photographers. The last couple of days of our stay were spent back in the city of Havana.
On our first evening back in the city we went to Estudio50. This is a space for artists that is in an old industrial building, near the University of Havana. The building has been reclaimed and now provides studio space and offices for artists and art collectives. It also houses a “white room” performance space that is used for concerts, along with film and video shoots.
We were there for a performance of “freeform” music by Pepe Gavilondo and the Ensemble Interactivo de La Habana. Estudio50 also has a bar where the musicians and the audience could all hang out together before and after the performance.
The next day we spent visiting places around Havana that offered some nice photographic opportunities, some touristy, some not. We started at John Lennon Park (formerly Parque Menocal) for a quick shot of the John Lennon statue.
From there we went to Callejon de Hamel. This small alley has been completely transformed by artist Salvador Gonzáles Escalona. He has created artworks that celebrate his afro-cubano heritage.
After lunch we visited the Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC). This gallery and theater reside in a building that was constructed in 1910 as a cooking oil factory. Today it serves as one of the primary galleries and performance spaces for contemporary artists and musicians.
We finished our day with a sunset trip to Havana’s world famous Malecon. This sea wall has been a gathering place for locals and tourists for over one hundred years.
This brought my Cuba trip to an end. It was great to spend ten days on a guided tour of the island with local guides and a small group of photographers.
One last note. This will be my last regular blog. I am shifting my focus onto my photography, and, while this has been fun and rewarding, the time requirement to research and prepare a weekly blog is too demanding to do both. I will still post when I travel to anywhere special. Please follow my photography at www.jlessuckphotography.com.
