by Jonathan Canlas
“I first visited Cuba in Feb of 2016. For the first time since 1963, it was legal for US citizens to travel to Cuba.”
“When the light hits just right“
This flag used to mean hope for so many
Hot Havana Nights
“Back when electricity was reliably on almost everywhere in Havana. With the lack of oil coming into the country, nationwide power outages are now the norm for anywhere from 4-10 hours a day.”
55’ Bel Air
“Cars from the ’50s can look like they just came off the assembly line last week. How they supply parts or how they install AC wall units inside the car for the comfort of their riders speaks to this Cuban tenacity of making things just work when normally, there just seems no way.”
Esteban, a large-format film shooter in Havana
“…He was shooting on a process camera that shot onto paper, and he was developing the paper in the camera. He had quit his job 4 days prior to me meeting him and was taking photos for $5/pop…”
Cuba is so much more than old cars
I don’t practice Santeria
Vultures gathered in trees above the Almendares River to feast on the remains of chickens, goats, and small animals who had been sacrificed, spilling their blood all over the ground and into the river.
Vedado, Havana, Cuba
National Capitol of Cuba in Havana
Mural in Havana, Cuba
Man pushes cart of goods
Graffiti referencing 1984 by George Orwell.
Artist Statement by Jon Canlas
I first visited Cuba in Feb 2016. For the first time since 1963, it was legal for US citizens to travel to Cuba. I’d had images of Cuba seared in my brain from a National Geographic I’d seen growing up. I swear we all have seen it, it had to be shot on old Kodachrome as the color was so vibrant of the cars, the people, and life in the streets of Havana. Then fast forward to 1999 and seeing the Buena Vista Social Club documentary by Wim Wenders , this solidified the dream of visiting one day and seeing it through my lens. I was really drawn to this idea of a place that seemed to be stuck in time. I have visited Cuba 13 times over the last decade. I quickly learned there is way more to Cuba than just classic cars & the Buena Vista Social Club.
After your first visit you start to question: why is everything so old? Why am I led to believe that even though this is 100% legal to be here, there is always something in the back of my mind that has me looking over my shoulder? The relationship Cuba has with the US is a dark and complicated one. 2+2=5 is graffitied throughout the streets of Havana. Are they referencing the Radiohead song? No. It is everywhere because in Cuba it is true. Things just don’t add up but life still seems to go on. For example, a doctor, who receives free education from the Cuban government, can make around $12/month while a taxi driver can easily make $1k+ in a weekend. You can go into the nicest restaurant and look at their menu of dozens of things and then be told they only have 3 things available that day. Power outages, flux in exchange rates, a lack of basic day to day things along with a myriad of other problems plague this country.
However, the Cuban people seem to have an unrivaled tenacity to overcome adversity. They make things work. They have to. I was once told there are 3 faces of the Cuban people: The one they show the government, the one they show tourists, and the one they show only in the mirror. It was a difficult situation when I first visited in 2016 and it was even more so on my last visit in Nov of 2025. With the restrictions in place from our current administration, the situation has become even more dire. Gas has risen to close to $29/gallon US compared to the $3 it was only a couple months ago. Cars have stopped running, which means people can’t get to work. At this point, travel to Cuba for any other reason than humanitarian aid would be wrong.
One of the 12 legal reasons a US citizen can visit Cuba is “supporting the Cuban people”. This body of work’s purpose is at the heart of that. All proceeds from any sales will be donated and used to bring basic medical supplies, clothes, and aid to the friends I’ve made in Cuba. I may not be able to continue going to Cuba and helping those I come in contact with but hopefully, these images will bring awareness to the current situation and be a way I can continue to support the Cuban people.
