Canaleta
from the series “Republica Penitenciaria” [Penitentiary Republic], 2022
cut-out drawing on paper
100 x 70 cm
The series features illustrations of architectural structures of Cuba’s penitentiary system, operated by the Cuban Ministry of the Interior (MININT). These facilities confine not only those convicted of ordinary crimes but also political prisoners, artists, intellectuals, and cultural figures critical of the regime over the past six decades. Lavastida unintentionally had created this project before he was imprisoned in 2021 in one of these centers, as retaliation for his public art advocating for human rights and freedoms in Cuba.