This summer Royal Holloway, University of London will host an exhibition to bring together the work of world-renowned photographers such as Raúl Cañibano and Michael Christopher Brown, highlighting previously unseen photographs that offer a snapshot of the changing face of Cuba.

Opening 29 April 2019 and displayed in the university’s Exhibition Space on its Egham campus, This is Cuba: Documentary photography after Fidel, will explore contemporary documentary photography and its role in representing the country and its people both inside and outside the island, following a period of momentous change for Cuba, signified by the end of the Castro era.

The exhibition is a culmination of over a decade’s research by Dr James Clifford Kent, Lecturer in Hispanic Studies at Royal Holloway, and his more recent work that has focused specifically on the presence of iconic revolutionary images in contemporary Cuban society and the relationship between photography, language and identity. 

This free exhibition, open until 23 June 2019, will also be complimented by a series of talks and workshops around photographic practice, language and visual culture.  

Speaking about the exhibition, Dr Kent from Royal Holloway, said: “Following a series of watershed moments for Cuba, we are excited to be featuring new documentary work produced by both Cuban and foreign photographers. Cuba continues to be conceived in the Western imaginary as an island on the cusp of change and the exhibition represents an opportunity for visitors to reflect on photography’s role in both contesting and reinforcing this idea.”

Sarah Creed, Exhibitions Curator at Royal Holloway, said: “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to exhibit the photography of such revered and accomplished photographers at such a pivotal time in Cuba’s ever evolving landscape, especially as we are able to represent both the male and female gaze.

“Projects such as this highlight Royal Holloways’ academics’ ongoing innovative research in visual culture and language, and highlight the importance of photography as both a documentary and fine art medium.”