Blog Archives
the observer
I don’t know a single thing about training to become a boxer, but I can tell you that this young man spent the entire workout here and didn’t spar with any of the other men at the gym, which gave me the impression that perhaps he was just starting out.
But the actual, real reason I made this photo is that the woman watching him had an uncanny resemblance to my late mother-in-law. (And if it had been my mother-in-law, she would have offered plenty of advice to that young boxer. If you know what I mean.)
Gimnasia de Boxeo Rafael Trejo
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.11.2022
#7: blockade and foreign policy
My attention wandered, after a while. I became much less interested in joining the group who were photographing the boxers at the gym and instead turned my attention to the details of the place. You know, the way I tend to do: details reveal a lot, but only if you take some time to step away from yourself and let them reveal themselves to you.
And so that’s how I got this shot of a saggy table and a bunch of notices, just inside the doorway off Calle Cuba.
After I got home, I spent some time translating (Google Translate, if I am being honest: I am not a translator) what all that stuff on the walls said. Item number 7, on the list titled “Directrices” (Guidelines) says “bloqueo y polítca exterior,” or “blockade and foreign policy.” Without context (Who is supposed to follow those guidelines? Why are they on the wall at a boxing gym?), it seems confusing.
But on the other hand, blockades and foreign policies did impact our visit, our visa requirements, and probably other things I don’t even know about. So there’s that.
Gimnasia de Boxeo Rafael Trejo
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.11.2022
One Day | One Image 