“Impro Cubano”, is a photographic essay that fragmentarily describes Cuba in times of cultural and political change. Within my series I focus on the talent of improvisation and the lifestyle that is influenced by residue. Cuba was a „playground” of the cold war , later isolated and dependent on relations to communist countries. Due to problematic conditions in the later “Era of Fidel” it was missed, to give more chances to individual developement of it’s society. Only by Raul Castro the new laws and opportunities for self-led businesses such as tourist housing (Casa Particulares) was opening up new options for the Cubans. The socialist influenced Cubans need to rely on their talent of “juggling” with hard circumstances as import of technical goods was limited. One of the main ethics seemed to be the principles of helping each other inside the society and recycling everything. The best indicator for this was seeing, how they supported each other to repair cars on the motorway. I was witnessing that they could make a useful good basically out of anything - for examble rubber tubes to fix loose parts , fans to dry hair or an Lada engine to replace the usual V8 in one of the Road Cruisers of the 50’s and 60’s. Since reformations of Raul Castro Cubans now reiceive new options through economical changes - the state is facing bancrupty while the individuals gain more prosperity by visitors and any business connected to it; whether it’s Taxi rides, agricultural tourism or the booming Casa particulares where foreigners may sleep traditionally. My series gives a note of how Cuban Improvisation works, what time has written into the streets of Havana , Trinidad and Pinar del Rio and somehow what a gentle and quirky culture they have preserved despite all the throwbacks.
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Boxing and dancing are two important aspects in Cuban Culture

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Boxing and dancing are two important aspects in Cuban Culture

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A graffity by #iskart, who is famous all along Cuba for it's political visuals.

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A graffity by #iskart, who is famous all along Cuba for it's political visuals.

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Looking skeptical at this piece of recycled art

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Looking skeptical at this piece of recycled art

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Amor Salud Paz - Love , Health, Peace 

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Amor Salud Paz - Love , Health, Peace 

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Boys playing with a very old ball in Haban Este

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Boys playing with a very old ball in Haban Este

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Cubans love to pimp their rides

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Cubans love to pimp their rides

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Typical scene, a man smoking cigar while reading the paper

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Typical scene, a man smoking cigar while reading the paper

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Reglas, Havana

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Reglas, Havana

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Boys at a barber shop. The Ven exists since 30 years

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Boys at a barber shop. The Ven exists since 30 years

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Black market in Havana

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Black market in Havana

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Fin de Siglo - End of an Era, kind of metaphoric after Fidels death

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Fin de Siglo - End of an Era, kind of metaphoric after Fidels death

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My hosts from the casa particular in Havana

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My hosts from the casa particular in Havana

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Probably a bird breeding station 


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Probably a bird breeding station 


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A huge MS Cruiser full of tourists entering Havanna's harbour

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A huge MS Cruiser full of tourists entering Havanna's harbour

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A girl looking sceptical what I do with the camera

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A girl looking sceptical what I do with the camera

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After Fidel passed in 2016 Raul became president

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After Fidel passed in 2016 Raul became president

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Overview from the restaurant where the oscar-nominated Film "Chocolate & Strawberries" was filmed

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Overview from the restaurant where the oscar-nominated Film "Chocolate & Strawberries" was filmed

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Streetart in Old Havana

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Streetart in Old Havana

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Repainting building in Old Havana which is supported by Unesco funds

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Repainting building in Old Havana which is supported by Unesco funds

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A taxi stand

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A taxi stand

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If you don't have working lights, you indicate directions with your arm

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If you don't have working lights, you indicate directions with your arm

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A man looking over Central Havana where time has left it's marks

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A man looking over Central Havana where time has left it's marks

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Sksycraper Hotels facing the sea. On the right you see the Russian Embassy

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Sksycraper Hotels facing the sea. On the right you see the Russian Embassy

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A repair station for basically everything. Cubans recycle as much as possible cause imports are limited

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A repair station for basically everything. Cubans recycle as much as possible cause imports are limited

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No limits in colouring

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No limits in colouring

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A man reading newspaper 


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A man reading newspaper 


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Taxidrivers in Old Havana waiting for clients

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Taxidrivers in Old Havana waiting for clients

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Insight into a backyard

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Insight into a backyard

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Boys playing football after heavy rains in Vinhales

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Boys playing football after heavy rains in Vinhales

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Tourists guides in Vinhales

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Tourists guides in Vinhales

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My tourguide who kind of looked like Chavez  

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My tourguide who kind of looked like Chavez  

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Improvising is very typical for Cubans

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Improvising is very typical for Cubans

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Preparing a casa particular for guests

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Preparing a casa particular for guests

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Brand new renovated chevy

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Brand new renovated chevy

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Alex happy for his new taxi licence

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Alex happy for his new taxi licence

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Super Ireal, just like Cuba

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Super Ireal, just like Cuba

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A bridge for ... ? 

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A bridge for ... ? 

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Vinhales

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Vinhales

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Mystic night scape in Trinidad

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Mystic night scape in Trinidad

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An old man collects wood for a bakery in the midday heat

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An old man collects wood for a bakery in the midday heat

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A former policeman selling vegetables

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A former policeman selling vegetables

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Still working at a high age. This woman owns a music cafe in Trinidad

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Still working at a high age. This woman owns a music cafe in Trinidad

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Tropical Swamp. Cuba offers all kinds of landscapes

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Tropical Swamp. Cuba offers all kinds of landscapes

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Socialist slogans from former times can be found throughout the country

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Socialist slogans from former times can be found throughout the country

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Mosquito protection sprayed through the city 

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Mosquito protection sprayed through the city 

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Time written into the guitar

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Time written into the guitar

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Hate and Love between the US and Cuba

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Hate and Love between the US and Cuba

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Heading to Trinidad

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Heading to Trinidad

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Pinar del Rio, where tobacco,rum and coffee is produced

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Pinar del Rio, where tobacco,rum and coffee is produced

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Viva Cuba along with a military base

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Viva Cuba along with a military base

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A patriotic Cuban

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A patriotic Cuban

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Looking for help. Its quite usual to stop with the Taxi Collectivo

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Looking for help. Its quite usual to stop with the Taxi Collectivo

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Heading back to Havana


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Heading back to Havana


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Tourists with a selfiestick

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Tourists with a selfiestick

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A tourist posing with one of the fancy Taxi Collectivos

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A tourist posing with one of the fancy Taxi Collectivos

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copyright : Nick Harwart

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