On the Cover Photo
On the Cover Photo
Fulvio Bugani
April 2, 2025
“The idea of the glass window and the play between visibility and invisibility emerged as a powerful metaphor to explore the themes of identity, fluidity, and societal perception. I wanted to express how queer identities – particularly fluid ones – often find themselves straddling the line between being seen and being unseen. The glass acts as a physical barrier, but it also reflects the societal structures that, while allowing for visibility, still impose limits on how much of the person can truly be seen or understood. The different visibility behind the glass reflects the duality of identity – both present and hidden, public and private.
This particular portrait was taken in the famous theatre in Vedado, a district of Havana. The hall of this place holds a surreal, almost dreamlike quality, which I found deeply fitting for the subject matter. The theatre is dedicated to Bertolt Brecht, whose perspective on theatre was groundbreaking. Brecht’s intention was to appeal to the intellect of his audience, presenting moral dilemmas and reflecting on contemporary social realities. His work encouraged the audience to question what they saw on stage, to think critically about society and the world around them.
We chose this venue because, for me, Brecht’s philosophy aligns perfectly with the themes of my project. I want to challenge the audience to think about the complexities of identity, the invisibility of certain lives, and the freedom that comes with self-expression. By taking the portrait in this space, I’m reflecting on these broader ideas and, in a sense, continuing Brecht’s tradition of making the audience reflect on and reconsider the world around them.
It’s a personal and artistic achievement for me to work in this context, as I aim to inspire contemplation and thought about the shifting norms of gender and identity.”
This particular portrait was taken in the famous theatre in Vedado, a district of Havana. The hall of this place holds a surreal, almost dreamlike quality, which I found deeply fitting for the subject matter. The theatre is dedicated to Bertolt Brecht, whose perspective on theatre was groundbreaking. Brecht’s intention was to appeal to the intellect of his audience, presenting moral dilemmas and reflecting on contemporary social realities. His work encouraged the audience to question what they saw on stage, to think critically about society and the world around them.
We chose this venue because, for me, Brecht’s philosophy aligns perfectly with the themes of my project. I want to challenge the audience to think about the complexities of identity, the invisibility of certain lives, and the freedom that comes with self-expression. By taking the portrait in this space, I’m reflecting on these broader ideas and, in a sense, continuing Brecht’s tradition of making the audience reflect on and reconsider the world around them.
It’s a personal and artistic achievement for me to work in this context, as I aim to inspire contemplation and thought about the shifting norms of gender and identity.”
Text and image: © Fulvio Bugani
EQUIPMENT: Leica SL2-S, Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70 f/2.8 Asph
LFI 3.2025+-
Bugani’s S/He portfolio about Havana’s queer community can be found in issue 3.2025 of the LFI magazine. More
Fulvio Bugani+-
The Italian photographer (*1974) has been working time and again in Cuba for over twenty years. His “Soul” y Sombras series was one of the twelve finalists for the 2016 Leica Oskar Barnack Award. He has been working at his Foto Image studio in Bologna since 1999, as well as with organisations and NGOs, such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Amnesty International. In 2015, Bugani was honoured with the World Press Photo for his work on Indonesian transgender people. He teaches photography at private photo schools in Bologna, as well as at the Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna and Leica Akademies around the world. More