Bob Dylan in Havana
By Ariel Glaria Enriquez Photos: Nike
HAVANA TIMES — On the afternoon of Friday March 24th a wide collection of photos of the US icon of rebel music, Bob Dylan, was inaugurated at the Fototeca de Cuba.
The opening of this collection which will remain on show for a month at the Cuban institution, located in one of the main colonial squares in Havana’s historic center, was attended by a US ambassador (designate) in Havana, which is a first in Cuba for an event of this kind.
The exhibition, by photographer Ted Russell, reveals an authentic Bob Dylan at the beginning and maybe the most productive moment of his career. The energy of the audience present was also authentic, made up of an equal number of Cubans and US citizens, where those from here held a small concert in tribute to the singing legend and voice of an era.
Once again, music and poetry have proved the most crucial; there is a will, which can be found in a verse, a note or simply by smiling at another person.
NOTE: The exhibition is called: BOB DYLAN NYC 1961- 1964. It was organized by the FOTOTECA DE CUBA in association with GOVINDA GALLERY.
Click on the thumbnails below to view all the photos in this gallery. On your PC or laptop, you can use the directional arrows on the keyboard to move within the gallery. On cell phones use the keys on the screen.
Fototeca de Cuba is on the 16th century Plaza Vieja in La Habana Vieja in a
beautiful building in one of the finest parts of the city. Often there is live music in the square.
Do not miss this exhibition if you come from a country where you are free to travel.
It is not far from the Cámara Oscura, combine that with your visit. And the best place to eat on the square is the Café Bohemia.
EDLIS Café
http://www.edlis.org/cafe
Sky, I believe Ted Russell, the photographer who created the original Dylan images, is not happy to see such bad reproductions of his work in the press. He expended much effort in making his prints look the way the do. No doubt everyone is pleased that the exhibit is being promoted, just don’t include a bad photo reproduction of his prints. Rolling Stone and LA Times managed to do this correctly, why not Havana Times?
I speak as a reasonably well exhibited photographer. in the US and in Cuba. At times I have had to ask cub reporters not to try to photograph my prints. Instead I have offered to immediately send them an electronic copy of the print for their publication along with granting them the right to use such. Everyone is happy for the press, just not a really bad reproduction of original work.
You and I are in total agreement on the status of copyright in Cuba. It is simply one of those things we must accept in Cuba.
Apparently Ted Russell is serious about copyright. At http://www.tedrussellphotographer.com/ there is the question “Do you agree to respect the copyrights on these images?” and the viewer must click “I agree” to to be able to see these images online.
Oh come on Bob. What implication? No such thing. Actually, your implication is that everyone else is less intelligent than you in working out what these photos actually represent! I see this as promoting the exhibition, no more. And glad they did too as finding out about events and cultural happenings in Cuba is hard enough. As a photographer and a photographic researcher as well as an editor I feel qualified to share my perspective. Infringement of copyright, is unable to be enforced in Cuba – just look at the daily, mass ‘infringements’ with el paquete. Now if the photographer was passing off the work as their own….
Can you pass this on to Bob Dylan or someone who has contact with him. I would like to donate about 500 copies of a 45 rpm record I have for him to sign and perhaps give out to his Canadian Fans when the tour comes through Canada in June 2017 Canada is having it’s 150th Birthday. I have attempted to contact him via the sonymusic feedback page but they never respond back to me. Photo of the records is available by request.
I wonder how the photographer of the original photos, Fototeca, and the GOVINDA GALLERY feel about Havana Times showing bad photos of the original photos hanging on the wall in the exhibit. I strongly suspect these photos are copyrighted as well.
It is normally considered not a problem to include an exhibited photograph in the background of an obvious different photo covering the event. But to show a really bad reproduction of the same photo with the implication THIS IS THE PHOTO being exhibited is a disservice to the photographer and the gallery as well as illegal (at least in the US)