A Journey between Cuba and China
At the beginning of the last century, the Chinese community settled in Havana’s Chinatown was one of the most densely populated Chinese communities outside of China. The idea for this project was born at the great gate of the “Barrio Chino” in Havana, with the aim of visually exploring and documenting the similarities and differences between Cuba and China. Bridging the conceptual gap between these nations, the project focuses on what they have in common: people on the streets, Communist regimes in transformation, iconic leaders and stars in the flags.
While China underwent profound economic reform since 1978, becoming one of the world’s largest economies, Cuba has experienced relatively little change. Despite the differences in population, economy, and cultural heritage, the project highlights the similarities between the two nations and tries to transcends preconceptions by focusing on the basic elements of daily life such as smiles, dances and visual cues of similarity.
The project provides a fresh perspective on the ongoing metamorphosis of two Communist governments, both impacted, as all the world, by ongoing globalisation.
