Norbert Leser, a photographer who lives in Camden and on Vinalhaven, will exhibit photos of Cuba at Zoot Coffee in Camden during the month of December. The theme of the show is "CUBA - Locked in Time", based on his photo book, published under the same title.

Norbert visited several places in Cuba at a time when power was being transferred from Fidel to Raúl Castro. His photos portray the mood and sentiment of this still largely unknown country.
Because the country and its people have been battered and suppressed by decades of embargo and sanctions, living conditions were and are still extremely poor and people have had to struggle.

However, the photos also convey the feeling that the people, in general, live their lives with dignity and pride. For example, the images show how people carefully treat their precious produce,
or how they use whatever they can find to improvise such things as chess boards, dance studios, or playgrounds.

The images also show the Cuban people's deep sense of their own cultural heritage and style. While they have not had the resources to fully restore buildings and cars, the stark images indicate that the old charm has been preserved and kept intact as much as possible.

Although travel to Cuba has been made more difficult again, many of us are interested in learning more about this largely unknown country and perhaps consider a trip to the island.

These photos might be a wonderful way to remember and better understand this country that is just 90 miles off the southeastern coast.

The book, CUBA - Locked in Time, is available in local bookstores, at Amazon, or for more information visit Norbert's website at www.kwasir.org