Chance and Desire: Havana in Black & White
June 17, 2020 — Chance and Desire: Havana in Black & White is a new book from journalist T.K. Hernández. Published in May, this first edition is a stunning collection of 80 images in black and white taken over more than a decade. This book captures a street photographer’s vision of Havana that reaches far beyond the tourist resorts. Stephen Kimber, journalist and author of one novel and nine nonfiction books provides the foreword. Editing provided by M. Harris, photographer and art historian.
This book bears witness to a city approached in the classic documentary/street style. The images speak of the flavor of the place and rise above the crowded field of images of Cuba and Cubans. This is Havana as you’ve never seen it before. It is a portrait, a visual narrative of the emotional landscape of a city. The approach to her subjects shows a familiarity and closeness to the strangers she meets in the streets of Havana.
The series works beautifully in black and white. There is often a stunning simplicity and beauty in the photography. The contrast of the light-toned buildings with the darkness of other elements is a natural fit for monochrome work. She does a fine job utilizing natural and ambient light to produce scenes with visual drama. The human subjects are also interesting. The photographs are fabulous, and the characters they introduce us to are wild.
Chance and Desire: Havana in Black & White
A visual narrative of the emotional landscape of a city.
Chance and Desire: Havana in Black & White
ISBN: 978-1-7771364-1-3 (Paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-7771364-0-6 (Hardcover)
Hernandez’s photographic and written work can be found at 500x, Lens Culture, 1340 Gallery Magazine, various news media sites, exhibitions and university and private collections. This is her second book of photographic images. Her website is: https://tkhernandez.com/
If you’d like more information about Chance and Desire: Havana in Black & White, or to schedule an interview with Ms Hernández, she can be reached by email.