Photographer Susan Bank first traveled to Cuba in 1999. Last Friday, an exhibition displaying her work from this trip and subsequent others opened at the University City Arts League. Versos de Cuba is Bank's photographic essay on life in contemporary Cuba.
From the outside, the Arts League is a quiet house on the 4200 block of Spruce Street. The room that hosts Bank's exhibit appears simple and small. But step inside and the scene is instantly transformed.
A radio in the corner fills the room with soft Latin rhythms. I see a baby resting in its mother's arms, a woman sitting alone, smoking a cigarette; a bride-to-be waits anxiously in her gown. I am touched by their solemn expressions. Their tired eyes speak to me of hardship.
But Bank explains that the mood in Cuba, though tinged with suffering, should be described as esperando (esperar is Spanish for "to wait for" and "to hope for"). Sadness is pervasive in Havanna, but Bank witnessed first-hand the strength that lies just beneath the surface. The Cuban people, she insists repeatedly, are waiting and hoping.
Bank's photographs are captivating and powerful. They display the isolation, expectation and distinctive beauty that Bank encountered on the streets of Havanna. I was particularly moved by a photograph of a young woman imitating the pose of an American-looking model on a poster (from the 1950s I'd guess)--as I was by the several photographs concentrating on hands.
A man approached me to ask my opinion of the cigarette-smoking woman. In the photo she has just exhaled, and her face is partially obscured in a cloud of smoke. This photograph is particularly lonely and forces me to look deeper.
Versos de Cuba also includes several fascinating pieces by Cuban photographers Pedro Abascal, Raul Ca¤ibano and Cristobal Herrera from Bank's personal collection.
The University City Arts League, located at 4226 Spruce Street, is a nonprofit organization engaged in education and cultural enrichment. Versos de Cuba runs through November 2; call 215-382-7811 for details.
