Gezicht op het Tacon theater te Havana c. 1848

Frédéric Mialhe created this print of the Tacon Theater in Havana. It captures a moment in the city's history when Cuba was under Spanish colonial rule, and Havana was a vibrant hub of cultural activity. The theater, named after Spanish Governor-General Miguel Tacón, symbolized the cultural aspirations of the colonial elite. But how did this pursuit of European culture intersect with the realities of a society built on slavery and racial hierarchy? The theater, like much of Havana's opulent architecture, was funded by the sugar trade, a trade that relied on the forced labor of enslaved Africans. It’s impossible to separate the theater’s grandeur from the suffering and exploitation that sustained it. As you consider this image, think about who had access to this space and whose labor made it possible. Mialhe's print invites us to reflect on the complexities of Cuban history. It acknowledges the island's colonial legacy and the interwoven threads of power, identity, and cultural expression.