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STEVE CAGAN
No es fácil/It's Not Easy
LOOKING AT CUBA TODAY
November 1 - December 22, 1999
Contact Sheet 104
The expression "no es fácil" (it's
not easy) became a popular slogan among the Cuban people
during a time of economic difficulty and political change
that Cuban leaders call "the special period."
The title for this exhibition, No es fácil/It's
Not Easy, has a dual meaning in that it also refers
to Steve Cagan's own acknowledgment of the difficulty
of working in Cuba as a U.S. photographer.
The emphasis of Cagan's photographs is the lives of
everyday Cuban citizens, and for many of us these images
may provide the first window into the lives of the ordinary
citizen. Cagan's images do not assume the pretense of
neutrality, he is very clear about his intentions and
motivations as a photographer. He is a political activist
for social change and for the rights of workers in his
personal and professional life, and for him photography
functions as a powerful tool to increase awareness and
inspire change.
A majority of Cubans who had previously lived under
conditions of severe poverty reaped the benefits of
the revolution, particularly in the areas of education
and health care. Everyday life is not easy during this
"special period," but most Cubans accept these
conditions because they feel that the gains which have
been made since the revolution, are worth preserving,
even though today Cuba find itself virtually alone in
the world in its attempts to maintain a socialist society.
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