Arts & humanities

摘要

American art collector Madeleine Plonsker has been collecting Cuban photography since her first visit to the island in 2002. All of the work in the collection has been made since 1990, corresponding roughly with Cuba's "Special Period," a time of economic crisis resulting from the fall of the Soviet Union. Many of the images depict Cuban life, providing a glimpse not only into the contemporary photography scene but also into the country's social, political, and economic cultures. Photographers represented include established and emerging artists such as Pavel Acosta, Rene Pena, and Glenda Leon. Beautifully arranged, this bilingual book has an entry for each artist that includes at least one picture; most entries have multiple images, all are accompanied by a brief artist's statement and a comment on the work by Plonsker. The volume also contains five concise essays, with an introduction by Plonsker. VERDICT The range of artists represented by this collection is a fine introduction to contemporary Cuban photography. Artists, sociologists, historians, and anyone interested in Cuban culture will enjoy seeing the island through native photographers' eyes.