My paternal grandfather emigrated from Germany to Cuba when he was just 20 years old in the mid-1920s. He left his native country for the same reason most immigrants do—to seek out a better life. Sixty years later, my own life took a similar turn. My family emigrated from Cuba back to Germany, and later to the United States—making us part of the Cuban diaspora.

I first became curious about my family’s past, when my uncle entrusted me with a box filled with letters, documents, and photos for safekeeping. These were my grandfather’s belongings, a man I never met. They are the only possessions I have of his, and the catalyst for this project.

Porque el Conejo me Arañó is an extensive body of work that tells the story of my grandfather’s journey as a German immigrant in Cuba, juxtaposed with my story as a Cuban immigrant in Germany. The work is expressed through photographs of archival material, an imagined storyline through letters and objects, and fragmented memories of my childhood in Germany. These photographs serve as an attempt to bridge these two worlds, and to create a discourse that crosses the barriers of time to reveal shared history and experience.

Though this work is a journey of self-discovery, it also serves as an exploration of the universal themes of cultural identity and integration. The experience of displacement has been shared throughout history and across cultural lines. These photographs reveal a reflected perspective of the shared path we follow to finding our home.

Archival Inkjet Prints