Journalist and photographer Ernesto Lahens Soto exhibits a selection of his photos at the Art Gallery Mariano Rodriguez, in Villa Panamericana, Havana.

Ernesto Lahens Soto does not portray a stylized Cojimar, an unknown village and idyllic construction: what we see is everything we are able to witness on daily basis if we decide to look for stories.

And this is not a common skill. Or perhaps we all have it. The truth is that there are stories everywhere and Cojimar treasures some of the most interesting of the island.

Without fanfare, emphasis, and quite naturally, the photographer shows us those close, but unimaginable approaches.

There are inspiring series, which need no words to complement them.

The exhibition is documentary. But you can feel the fine lyricism: when a fisherman throws his line into the sea, there is poetry in there; sometimes hard, sometimes violently…usually unnoticed.

Ernesto has the gift to reproduce it.

Clearly, the photographer loves this village. He feels identified with the men and women living there. The character of a city is not determined by its magnificent view, but its people.

Cojimar treasures a lot of secrets. It is not hard to find them out. Suffice to ask our neighbor.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Diaz/CubaSi Translation Staff

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