An old man looks out at an open sea and ninety miles to freedom. His raft, built from salvaged blocks of styrofoam and held together with iron riggings, barely floats and he struggles to steer it through the choppy water. On deck his suitcase holds his supplies, for how long a journey he is not sure. He knows that the time is near, and he wonders if he will make it.
This image comes from a photograph taken by my son David from the Melacon in Havana. When I saw it, I knew it was a metaphor for Cuba. As I made this drawing, I thought about the old man’s future. I hope he makes it, and that Cuba will also be free someday soon.
Patrick Shay, AIA, President Gunn Meyerhoff Shay Architects