Ruta Habana by Yojany Pérez Rivera

This exhibition is me—my experiences and my recounting of the island. These photos are a journey from sea to land, from the outside in, even to moments of raw violence. As islanders, with our political and social struggles, we are present in each of these images.

Every space, moment, and person that stirred my emotions or shook me is here. I have left nothing hidden, covered no part of myself to shield from criticism or censorship. That’s why the photos of protest on the day of the skateboarding demonstrations stand alongside images of pure frenzy.

This exhibition condenses the path I followed for years. It is a journey that begins in the sea. I believe surfing is what reminds us we are islanders, surrounded by water—though we use it so little, as fishing is not a way of life, nor is surviving off what the island provides. For Cubans, the sea has always been seen as an escape route to leave the country, and because of that, we have lost our connection to it. Every time we went searching for waves across the island, we faced trouble with the police. They would arrest us, interrogate us, always assuming our surfboards were a means to flee the country.

The city, I navigated through skateboarding. That sport became my connection to society, to people, to my neighborhood. It was also a break from the traditional sports of boxing or baseball, a form of expression for a generation seeking transformation—one that holds different ideas from our parents and grandparents. The youth no longer cling to the idealism of the past, unlike the remaining generation of communists.

Culture is more diverse now, and so are its influences. The children and the elderly in my photos represent the beginning of an era and its end. Children symbolize the future, the evolution of our generations. In Cuba, the elderly are those who remain trapped in the time of the great revolutionary project. Despite the poor quality of life, many remain loyal to their ideals.

The country’s social problems are countless, and the protests made them visible. I felt a different kind of adrenaline while documenting them—something I never expected. Yet, in a way, I felt comfortable among the crowds, perhaps because skateboarding had already put me in violent encounters and run-ins with the police before. It felt like being at Parque G—a popular skateboarding spot in Havana—but on a much larger scale. It was a moment I never thought could happen.

My daughter, Cora, has grown up immersed in everything I love. Since she was little, I’ve taken her on surf trips and to skate competitions. She is a part of me, and I hope she understands the sense of liberation I feel when practicing both sports.

For me, nudity is not just a form of freedom—it is also our body as armor against change, against struggles. The series of nude photos seeks to express that. We are naked because there is no support, no recognition for what we do to bring change or to move forward. We are simply the ones who push ahead, who decide our own path, unbound by anything—naked, free.

The Havana I love so much is told through these photos. This exhibition is an intimate journey through my memories and the different layers of what drives me, what makes me think, and what makes me feel alive. As new clouds rise above my head, I find it fitting to share the island that always stays with me. No matter where my feet stand, my heart is in Cuba.

Written and photographed by Yojany Pérez Rivera