by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Early 20th century Cuba was a hotbed of tourism for Americans – plush, tropical resorts, Latin flair and all the inexpensive alcohol one could drink in the then-U.S. prohibition era.
But beyond the beauty and attractions that lured people such as famed author Ernest Hemingway and photographer Walker Evans to the island, lay political corruption, poverty and oppression that inspired art.
The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens’ latest exhibit — “Ernest Hemingway and Walker Evans: Three Weeks in Cuba 1933” — features 37 vintage photographic prints by Evans and seven copied prints found among Hemingway’s possessions after his death, all showing the reality of Cuba as observed through the lens of Evans.
“This exhibit is of great topical interest with (former Cuban president) Fidel Castro stepping down recently,” said Cummer Director Maarten van de Guchte. “It is a chance to look at a piece of Cuba’s tumultuous history.”
Evans, an American photographer later known for pictures that documented The Great Depression, went on assignment to Cuba for three weeks in 1933 to take pictures for the publisher of author Carleton Beals. At the time, Beals was writing “The Crime of Cuba,” which depicted the state of Cuba’s poverty and corruption while expressing his disdain for the Gerardo Machado dictatorship.
“Evans depicted everyday life in a straightforward yet lyrical way,” said van de Guchte. “They are documentary photos with a very personal touch.”
It was in Cuba that Evans first met Hemingway, said van de Guchte, while the author was there to fish and work on manuscripts.
The two developed a friendship, frequenting bars such as Sloppy Joes, with Hemingway even giving Evans $25 for room and board to stay an extra week – Evans’ publisher had only given him enough for two weeks.
The documents and images on display reveal the friendship between the two in Havana during the time of political instability. Details about their friendship weren’t known until the recent discovery of the Evans prints and documents found in Hemingway’s belongings.
The Evans photographs on display show scenes of everyday life at the time, from storefronts to fruit vendors, sleeping men to fishing boats.
Simply named pictures, such as the featured “Citizen in Downtown Havana,” showing a man in white suit and hat standing in a Havana street front, are detailed black-and-white snapshots set amongst the 1930s landscape.
“Three Weeks in Cuba” is on display at The Cummer through June 1. For more information on the exhibit or any planned programs, call 355-0630.