TRIBECA — You don't have to travel to Cuba to get an intimate look at the island's family life.
On the heels of President Obama's historic decision to ease relations with Cuba, TriBeCa's Soho Photo Gallery is exhibiting Cuban photographer Maria Cienfugos' "Portrait of the Family" series, which offers a rarely seen glimpse of the daily lives of Cubans.
David Miller, who curated the show, said the timing of the show and Obama's announcement is fortuitous, though coincidental. The gallery had been working to bring her photos to TriBeCa for nearly two years.
"The process of opening up Cuba is good news, but will likely be slow," Miller said. "Maria's photos are not only beautiful, but they offer a look at Cuban life that most will never see."
For two years, from 2009 to 2011, the Havana-based artist snapped portraits of Cuban families, offering a view into everyday life on the island country. Families gather and smile at the beach, in church and inside their homes for her photographs.
Cienfeuegos' series is a way to examine the way we create memories, she said in an artist's statement.
"I look for places of remembrance and forgetfulness," she said. "Photography is my way of revealing memory, in all its complexity.”
"Portrait of the Family" is on display Jan. 7 through Jan. 31 at Soho Photo Gallery, 15 White St. The gallery is open Wednesdays to Saturdays, 1 p.m. through 6 p.m., and by appointment.
