Shawn Mackey
101.6 x 76.2 cm
Havana is a vibrant, layered celebration of culture, distance, and connection, capturing the electric spirit that links Key West and Cuba across a narrow stretch of sea. Bold, expressive brushstrokes and richly saturated colors form a collage of iconic Cuban imagery—vintage aircraft, palm-lined sunsets, hand-rolled cigars, rum bottles, music, maps, and tropical birds—each element echoing rhythm, nostalgia, and island soul.
The prominent reference to 90 Miles to Cuba holds deep significance. From Key West, Cuba lies just ninety miles across the Florida Straits, making it the closest foreign country to the United States. That short distance has long symbolized both closeness and separation—geographically near, culturally intertwined, yet historically divided. It represents shared Caribbean roots, migration, music, flavors, and stories carried across the water, as well as longing, memory, and resilience shaped by time and politics.
In Havana, warm sunsets glow against moody purples and blues, while textured typography and symbolic details create the feeling of a weathered travel poster infused with emotion and history. The composition invites viewers to feel the pulse of Havana—its heat, its music, its romance—while acknowledging the powerful meaning of those ninety miles that connect two worlds. This piece is a bold statement for lovers of Cuban culture, island life, and art that tells a story far deeper than distance alone.
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