From 'El Malecón' series. In 2000 Henry Horenstein went to Havana, Cuba for ten days. “Ten days is a lot of time to kill so I walked up and down the Malecón.” says Horenstein.
He spent much of this time in Havana walking the five-mile long coastal seawall and boulevard. “People were friendly and I felt very safe.” He photographed it’s rocks, the sea and the harbour, but mostly he photographed the people “...and lots of them, all day and all night. It’s a great place to bring your family. Or, meet a friend for sex.” Horenstein.
He photographed at all times of the day. When it was bright and family-filled at midday and in the early morning and at night, when it was almost empty except for “...random sketchy characters.” The result is an enchanting document of this place, which captures the beauty of the people who live there.
This is a series packed full of powerful portraits of young people diving into the water, kissing or just simply hanging out with friends. El Malecon became a record of what was for these people normality - their ‘everyday’ - the result is a collection of portraits (punctuated with observations) that are evocative of youth, yet beguilingly gentle and sublime.