Celia Cruz, Coffee Table Book

For a woman to succeed in the world of Latin music she had to break through cultural taboos and wrongly conceived commercial perceptions. No one cracked that gender barrier like Celia Cruz – the undisputed Queen of Salsa.

Alexis Rodriguez-Duarte, longtime friend and Celia’s personal photographer celebrated our iconic salsa mega-star in a photographic exhibition in October, 2011 at Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education, in the Bronx, New York. The exhibition run successfully from October 20 to November 21, 2011 and it included a ephemera and a dress worn by Celia. “Celia was an inspiration for me, she was the light. Watching Celia perform live was a gift,”  Rodriguez-Duarte.

During this exhibit, Alexis Rodriguez-Duarte, in collaboration with Tico Torres, presented the Celia Cruz Coffee Table Book, a wonderful collection of the most exclusive and intimate Celia’s images.

“I had the honor and pleasure of 
photographing Celia for fifteen 
years. I’ll never forget her smile
 and her amazing energy. The
 biggest thing about Celia is that 
she never knew how great she 
truly was. She always made me
 feel so proud to be Cuban.” added Rodriguez-Duarte.

Through the lens of accomplished photographer, Alexis Rodriguez-Duarte, in collaboration with Fashion Stylist Tico Torres, the fans can review many images and learn intimate stories of their unique fifteen-year friendship. From quiet backstage moments to explosive live performances, fans will enjoy this contemporary portrait of Celia Cruz, who despite her fame was always warm, full of life and full of music.