Photographer Simone Lueck's new book Cuba TV simonelueck.com
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| Published by Mark Batty |
I wandered around, slipping in and out of strangers' living rooms. Each time I came across an open door and a TV set, I asked if I could take a picture of it. The answer was always yes. Nobody seemed to think it was an odd request and it was usually accompanied by a Cuban coffee or rum.
The TV sets themselves are outdated, pre-revolution relics imported from America or sets from Russia over fifteen years old; green-hued beats jimmy-rigged with ancient computer parts and fantastically adorned like religious altars. In Cuba, television is a national pastime. The government controls all media, including the three main newspapers as well as the four television stations. The stations broadcast news reports, baseball, educational programs, soap operas, and Hollywood movies. Whether used for information or as a background for socializing and drinking rum, during broadcast hours, all TVs in Cuba are ON.