Havana’s Street Art
Photo Feature by Ernesto Gonzalez Diaz
HAVANA TIMES — Graffiti is part of the urban environment of all the world’s major (and not-so-major) cities. While some forms of graffiti are veritable works of art, others undermine the city’s aesthetic beauty and norms.
In many contexts, graffiti art is one of the most notable forms of expression of society’s underprivileged sectors, sectors which, for obvious reasons, lack the material resources to reach art galleries and other exhibition spaces.
Graffiti art deals with a wide range of subjects, from politics to sports. Most graffiti artists are self-taught, learning their trade through daily practice.
These photos, taken in Old Havana, Centro Habana and 10 de Octubre, are but a small sample of the kinds of graffiti one comes across in Havana.
Click on the thumbnails below to view all the photos in this gallery. On your PC or laptop, you can use the directional arrows on the keyboard to move within the gallery. On cell phones use the keys on the screen.
It’s worth noting that none of these photos of graffiti in Havana reflect a political message. I once saw a graffiti message in Havana that read “Bajo Fidel” painted on a wall near the corner of Infanta and Pelligrino at 7am. By 7:25 there were two PNR patrullas and a green DTI (Cuban FBI) Lada on the same corner. I saw at least 5 uniformed cops and everyone told me that there were also a couple undercover guys mixed in with the crowd that had gathered. There was even a photographer taking pictures of the graffiti and of the crowd. Finally, at around 8am two guys with a paint brush and some white paint showed up. Here’s the funny part: they painted over only the “Bajo” and re-painted “Viva”.