August 13 through September 28, the photographic and audiovisual exhibition Fidel es Fidel -byoutstanding Cuban film maker Roberto Chile - is open to the public in the José Martí Memorial.
The media coverage and public reception has been astounding, as evidenced by the more than 5,300 people who visited the exhibition through August 30. Granma International spoke with the exhibition’s creator about his work.
Tell us about the reception this exhibition has had…
This is an exhibition about a son of this people. It is a tribute to Fidel, but also to the people who have lived all these years watching him and fighting with him.
The greatest reward we have received is not only having had an inauguration with such an extraordinary turnout, as compared to all the exhibitions which have historically taken place here in the Memorial, but also the attendance we have had subsequently.
People from all sectors of the population have come: fathers with their children, students, young people, military personnel, press, basically…the people in general.
I wouldn’t say they come to see the photos and audiovisuals of Fidel but rather to reconnect with Fidel.
It is an exhibition open to everyone, and as I said on the day of the inauguration, it is not Chile but rather Fidel who summons, and the people have responded to this call.
There are children who have discovered him, young people who have seen him after a long time apart, and emotional adults who told me that all this was worth it, because they have reconnected with this guerilla who they accompanied for much of his life and who is an insoluble part of the Cuban nation.
What role does the figure of Fidel play in your work?
Since approximately 1984, I have had the job of following him everywhere. I followed him for more than 25 years, from the most inhospitable places in Cuba to the many countries we visited, either for events or governmental visits.
I remember with great admiration his relationship with the people, his strong bond with the people of his country and all over the world, and having been with him during national ceremonies, visits to work places, factories, cities…
I will never forget that where there had been a hurricane, there was Fidel; where there had been a disaster, accident or problem, whatever it was, there was Fidel and us with him.
The experiences I have of the history of the Revolution over the last 30 years are infinite, and this I owe to having been with him, to having accompanied him and having dedicated the best years of my life to sharing this historic adventure.
What are you working on currently?
Our main task is to safeguard these images, to make sure this audiovisual treasure we keep in our archives can be saved so that young people and children yet to be born can see the Fidel that we see, learn about the years of Revolution we lived and the cultural and historic values of this nation and know that we were witness to them.
I am also working on a series we have preliminarily called Raíces (Roots). It’s a photographic series which will also includes audiovisuals, although not a documentary, about our country’s African roots, taking a cultural rather than religious look at Cuban religions of African origin.
It is the continuation of a previous series I did and which had a great impact inside and out of Cuba, which we called Afrodescendientes, Guanabacoa, Cuba (Afro-descendants, Guanabacoa, Cuba). But in this case we have extended the work to other places in the capital and around the country.
We have already been to many cities; Jagüey Grande; Agramante, Perico and we will try to go to the city of Matanzas, to Cárdenas, Camagüey and Oriente, to dig further into the African heritage which both gave us life and enriched our culture. You can’t say you know Cuban culture if you don’t know who Oshún is, who Shangó is, and who Eleguá is. Neither can you talk about Cuban culture without knowing that is it a diverse mix of all colors and beliefs and vibrancy for life which this mix of Spanish, African, Arabic and Chinese has given us.
