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It’s what non-car people don’t get. They see all cars as just ton-and-a-half, two-tons of wires, glass, metal and rubber. That’s all they see. People like you or I know, we have an unshakable belief that cars are living entities. You can develop a relationship with a car. And that’s just what non-car people don’t get. Jeremy Clarkson
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CAR CULT URE Cubans LOVE their classic American cars. Currently, there are around 60,000 classic American cars in Cuba.
Dating from the 50s, 40s and 30s, they are often family heirlooms, religiously preserved and proudly passed down
from generation to generation. The passage of time has enriched the beauty and character of these vintage automobiles. But it also means the opportunity to see and appreciate them in this form will not last forever.
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FOUR DAYS IN HAVANA It was April, 1984 when I left the hotel and hit the streets of historic Havana. I was in search of my first double espresso of the day when I saw it. A not so pristine ‘59 Edsel, its ornate hood ornament gleaming in the sunlight. A throwback to a bygone era of chrome and big metal, cruising down the street right in front of me. I had to get a photo of that car. In fact, every car on the street was a car buff’s fantasy just waiting to be captured. A bright green ‘53 Chevy. A cherry red ‘52 Plymouth. They weren’t immaculate. In fact, some of them looked like they were being kept on the road with baling wire and prayer. But to me that was the beauty of them. There was so much more to appreciate in the blemishes and fine cracks where time had left its mark. That was how it all started. So over the next four days, armed with my duct-taped Canon EOS II-E, 28-135mm lens and Ecktachrome 35mm slide film, I wandered the city in automotive nirvana. My aim was to capture the beauty of these classic cars in their current condition – before they change, become gentrified, and lose their rusty, raw character. NOTE: Most of these photos are colour. There would be more black & whites but my camera, along with a full roll of B&W film, was stolen on the last day. Aaah, Cuba… there’s no place like it.
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In old Havana and elsewhere throughout Cuba, you’ll find a veritable automotive museum – not set behind velvet ropes but out cruising up and down the streets. It’s estimated there are over 60,000 classic cars in Cuba. American-made Chevrolets, Ford, Buicks, Pontiacs, Dodges, Plymouths and Cadillacs from the 30s, 40s, and 50s. Some are in surprisingly mint condition, lovingly restored with new paint and chrome. Some are so dilapidated that they are barely holding together. And there are many whose condition is somewhere in-between. Cuba permitted the import of American cars for 50 years or so. That all ended with Castro and the Cuban Revolution which led to the U.S. embargo in 1962. And so the flow of American cars and parts to the country suddenly ceased.
However Cuban ingenuity persisted. Owners of those old cars kept them running by whatever means they could. Everywhere you go, you’ll see the locals fixing their cars at the curbside or in garages, using whatever tools and parts are available. Sometimes it means cannibalizing old Ladas or Volgas to repair an engine or fix an exhaust. The resulting hybrids might not fly with a serious North American collector, with their worn interiors and exteriors touched up with numerous coats of paint. Yet they possess a raw beauty all their own, and are loved unconditionally by their owners. Most are family possessions that are passed down from generation to generation. Many are still in the workforce, used as taxis to transport both tourists and locals. But Cuba is changing. With the Castros no longer around, restrictions have loosened and the flow of automotive parts has been restored. Which means that in the years to come many of these old classic cars will be pimped out and turned into “cherry bombs” with new parts, new paint, new chrome. Before that happens, I set out to document this unique automotive era, to capture the cars in all their rusty glory that have become so ingrained in Cuban culture, and such a source of pride for the people. 7
If you’re interested in mechanics, ask anyone to tell you about their car — chances are they’ll be proud of the crafty ways that they have managed to keep their cars on the road.
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Wabi Sabi is an ancient aesthetic philosophy that finds beauty in all things simple, modest, and imperfect.
It is the belief that beauty lies in the unique imperfections created by time and natural wear, which leads to an even deeper beauty. One that in turn embodies the imperfections and impermanence of life itself. Examples of this artistic ideal are reflected in the classic cars that you’ll see everywhere in Havana. In their “youth”, these vintage vehicles ruled the roads with their exaggerated headlights, broad fenders, and gleaming chrome. Now time and wear and the salty sea air have taken their toll. Where there was once unblemished chrome, there are now pitted remnants. Where there was polished paint, there is now a patchwork of repairs. These are cars kept on the road literally by the will of their owners.
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Yet in these scarred and flawed icons of the past there lies beauty, naturally created and perhaps not fully appreciated by some observers. Look closely and you’ll come to truly love the patina of rough, weather-worn surfaces and irregularities. They all come together as both a testament to automotive design and artistry, and a new appreciation for the art of time itself. 19 5 2 P LY M OUT H
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“If a car is unable to be fixed, it can be broken down into component parts, which are then used to restore other classic cars.”
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When we use the term “Chrome”, that might be a misnomer because a lot of the original chrome has deteriorated to the point where it has been painted over using silver or gray paint.
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In these scarred and flawed remnants there lies beauty, naturally created and unknown to their owners. Look closely and amongst this menagerie there lies vehicular artistry rich with visual nuance.
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1954 MERCU RY
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GR AND GENER AL
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Gerard Ryan, RGD
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Many thanks to Andrew Meyer: Art Direction and Copy writing. David Mills: Copy Editing. Jason at Aloe Productions: Cover Fabrication. ReproArt Imaging: Printing. First printing February 2022.
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