Doug Ethridge

Statement from the Artist

Since 2012, I have made a total of four trips to Cuba and made numerous Cuban friends. My travels have taken me from the far eastern rugged beauty of Viñales, through the central cities of Havana, Trinidad and Camaguey, on to Santiago de Cuba, once the capital, and then to remote Baracoa in the far west, the first landfall of Christopher Columbus. I have ventured well off the tourist trail, visiting people in their city homes, on rural farms and in backcountry areas reminiscent of 1930’s Appalachia. Virtually every Cuban I have met has responded with warmth, generosity and curiosity, participating in the making of these photographs and in sharing just a little bit of their lives. With their help, I have tried to offer a glimpse of the humor and determination, warmth and hospitality that so many Cubans utilize to get through the complexities of their every day lives.