The well-trained eye of Spanish photographer Héctor Garrido, turns Illuminated Cuba (Cuba iluminada) into an exhibition that features high aesthetic, conceptual and human values: it’s not only about taking pictures of one hundred representatives of the culture, sport or sciences in our country, but tackling the most intimate essences of each figure from a sharp and anthropologic approach.
For Garrido —who has published 15 books to date and collaborates with such outstanding media representatives as El País, El País Semanal, National Geographic, El Mundo, XL semanal and Babel— witnessing Havana movies festival «is a true honor».
He underlined that the movies is widely represented because it is an artistic expression «that takes elements from the rest of examples»; that’s why there are not only directors or actors and actresses but other creators that usually collaborate with cinematographic projects, musicians (Descemer Bueno, X Alfonso, Kelvis Ochoa), writers (Leonardo Padura and Abelardo Estorino) and painters (Esterio Segura). It also includes the professionals that are «behind the cameras», such as casting directors, direction assistants and, even, the production staff.
When he was asked about the title, Illuminated Cuba, his answer was categorical: «Illuminating is a word with Latin origins and it has been presently given several meanings, they are all wonderful and can be used to describe the process I have tried to capture with my pictures in Cuba. The first sense to be taken into account would be “Illustrating the mind with sciences or studies”, that’s the reason why the top representatives of culture in different moments of history have been considered to be illuminated. Illuminating is also “lighting, shedding light on”, and these tasks are carried out on a daily basis by the people in the country. That’s why, Illuminated Cuba».
Finding a coherent selection criteria was certainly complicated and many interests were combined, but he says that he tried to «develop an equitable sharing process among different expressions, as well as between men and women, and although there was certain priority in terms of the presence of outstanding figures, a conspiratorial wink was given to emerging artists that are fighting their way up». Garrido pointed out that he didn’t try to make a detailed catalogue, but an approximation because «for a country like Cuba, one hundred is a number that’s not enough when it comes to representing the culture of this nation; so I’ll keep on taking pictures».
This lens artist, who has developed a solid career as a photographer linked to the environment and nature and he has participated in scientific expeditions in the five continents —including the Antarctic—, believes that the portrait is «a very complicated narrative construction because it is always to include the personality of the photographer and the photographed. It’s a sort of merge between the photographer and photographed people.
He finally announced that he will be «sooner than later» working on a new collaboration project related to Cuba’s nature and biodiversity, and he’ll keep on increasing the portrait catalogue of Illuminated Cuba because this Island, since the very beginning, has taken him with «great naturalness and love. In Cuba I fell like if I were home; it’s like if a part of me had always wanted to be here, even before I visited this country», he expressed.
The display is going to be showcased since December 11 to February 28 at Old Havana’s Diversity Hall (Amargura 60, between Mercaderes and San Ignacio)
By Estrella Díaz
Fuente: habanafilmfestival.com
