The abandoned Mercedes-Benz 300SL. Photos courtesy Piotr Degler.
If you’ve got a passion for automobiles, chances are good you’ve come across the work of photographer Piotr Degler. The Spaniard, now living in Italy, has photographed cars for the likes of Ferrari, Bertone, and Zagato, as well as auction house RM Sotheby’s and magazines too numerous to mention. A recent trip to Cuba for a calendar shoot inspired a Kickstarter-funded book, Carros de Cuba, which seeks to document car culture on the island nation ahead of sweeping cultural changes.
Photos from Carros de Cuba.
As Piotr explains about his photographic expedition:
For 10 years I had been dreaming of visiting this photographic paradise. Ten years longing to capture the country through its almendrones (vintage taxis), Buicks, Cadillacs and Studebakers… I had an intense month to find my treasure. Chasing rumors and opinions, I traveled the island from Viñales to Santiago de Cuba, stopping in dozens of towns and cities. As I forged friendships with enthusiasts and local mechanics, I opened doors normally closed to foreign tourists. Beyond the American classics, Cuba has put me face to face with some of the most iconic cars of automobile history.
One of the cars unearthed was a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, and Piotr’s shot of the abandoned coupe became something of an internet sensation. Only in an alternate reality would a six-figure automobile sit forgotten, surrounded by cast-off steel pipe and palm trees, left to the elements. As he’d go on to document, it wasn’t the only forgotten 300SL on the island, nor was it the only high-value vintage sports car. Cuban automotive culture may be most closely associated with American cars, but the island has its share of forgotten Jaguars and Porsches, too.
Piotr’s goal is to self-publish the book, allowing him to maintain greater creative control throughout the process. Doing so is an expensive undertaking, which is why he’s turned to crowd funding site Kickstarter for assistance. As with all Kickstarter projects, pledges are made via credit card, and charges won’t be billed unless the funding goal, in Piotr’s case €30,000 (roughly $32,000), is met before the project’s expiration date.
Those pledging €50 ($54) will receive a first edition copy of the book, signed by the author, while those pledging €190 ($205) will receive four signed copies of the book, making ideal gifts for the hard-to-shop-for automotive enthusiast. At the high end of the range €1,600 ($1,723) buys a collector’s edition run of the book, limited to 100 copies in a presentation box, complete with fine art prints signed and numbered by Piotr. Those of more modest means can support the project for €25 ($27), which nets a signed postcard image of the abandoned 300SL.
The Kickstarter project will run through January 15, 2016, with deliveries (assuming the funding goal is reached) beginning in March of 2016. For more information, or to support Carros de Cuba, visit Piotr’s Kickstarter page.
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