Deconstructing Utopias, 2000, Gelatin silver print, 16 photographs, 14 x 8 1/2 inches each, Unique

The images are photos of buildings that were created as part of the “microbrigadas” movement that was an attempt to solve the housing problem in Cuba, starting in the 60’s through the early 90’s. The movement encouraged people in need of housing to gather in small brigades (hence the name) to build their own homes with materials provided by the government. This project was one of many utopian ideas promoted by the Cuban revolution that in practice did not work. The quality of the buildings was often poor, there was no urbanistic planning and many of them were left unfinished. The way the images are installed resembles the work of the Bechers but lacks their perfection. There is something wrong in every shot – the composition is not right; the cropping is asymmetrical. It is an allusion to the way we aspire to social models that never work in society. Furthermore, the prints are not properly fixed in the darkroom process, so during the time of the installation the images will fade and change, similar to the ideals that this popular housing movement (and many others) once represented.