4. David Bailey’s Havana and the “Post-Special Period” Photobook

Kent begins by considering the socio-political context of the Cuban “Special Period” and offers an overview of how the boom in production of photobooks at the end of the 1990s informed different imaginaries of Havana. It also offers a series of close readings of images from Bailey’s photobook Havana that are representative of a variety of different genres and photographic styles (including touristic snapshots, black-and-white portraiture, and documentary). The chapter also takes into account the way pre-existing images of Havana appear to influence his portrayal of the city in his photobook. Representative of the first extended discussion of Bailey’s Havana, the chapter aims both to build on existing discussions relating to “post-Special Period” photography and to contribute to the growing field of scholarly research on the photobook.