Ojo Derrumbe by Colby Tarsitano

Colby Tarsitano is a rising senior at NYU Tisch in the Department of Photography and Imaging. “Ojo Derrumbe” aims to explore the relation of the beauty and vitality of the crumbling architecture of Parque Deportivo José Martí.

“”Ojo derrumbe” was the first thing I knew about Parque Deportivo José Martí- it is crumbling. The towering stadium structure, the distinctive architectural piece that makes the sports center recognizable from afar, is deteriorating piece by piece. The remarkable juxtaposition of the beauty in the architecture and the extreme corrosion of the stadium emulates the charm and vivacity throughout the sports center and history of sports in Cuba as a whole. During the revolution, Fidel Castro promoted sports as “the right of the people,” giving the public access to sports clubs and centers at no cost. The ability to incorporate sports into their daily lives symbolized the success of the revolution and sense of national pride in the Cuban people. The importance of sports in the Cuban culture is emulated throughout Parque Deportivo José Martí as it is constantly filled with many different people-young boys playing baseball alongside an organized soccer game while runners circle the track around them. This series aims to explore the relation of the beauty and vitality of the crumbling architecture of Parque Deportivo José Martí.”