Personal Work
Thanks to the ease of travel restrictions, I managed to visit Cuba with my parents in March 2016. It coincided with the Rolling Stones’ historic concert in Havana, marking the first time a major rock band held a concert in Cuba.
This event was seen as a celebration of the emerging openness in Cuban society and culture and attracted a massive audience, emphasizing the potential for cultural exchange between Cuba and the world. The atmosphere throughout the island nation was one of euphoria and hope.
Traveling to Cuba with my father was an experience steeped in significance. He has always been captivated by the history and iconography of the 20th century, and few events hold as much symbolic weight as the Cuban Revolution. His office is a quiet shrine to this fascination—a gallery of framed Magnum prints taken during the revolution, capturing figures like Fidel Castro and Che Guevara in moments that have since become timeless. These images were not collected out of personal admiration for the men or their cause but rather as artifacts of a pivotal chapter in Western history.
As we stepped onto the island, it did not feel foreign. Instead, it resonated with an odd sense of familiarity, as though the photographs in my father’s office had quietly prepared us for the streets, the colors, and the echoes of a history that had always loomed large in his imagination.
Cuban President Raúl Castro initiated reforms starting in 2011, which included allowing for more private enterprise, expanding internet access, and increasing foreign investment. These changes were part of a broader strategy to modernize the economy and address the challenges facing the country after decades of strict state control.
In December 2014, Obama announced a historic shift in policy towards Cuba, aiming to normalize relations between the two countries after more than 50 years of hostilities. This included easing travel restrictions, expanding trade, and reopening embassies in both nations. While these reforms have led to some economic improvements and a slight increase in personal freedoms, the government has maintained tight control over political dissent and civil liberties.