Dominican Embassy in Mexico inaugurates the exhibition “Casa de Sombras”

The exhibition "Casa de Sombras (House of Shadows)," is a collection of black and white photographs taken by the artist Herminio Alberti of the ruins of the "Casa de Caoba (House of Mahogany)," in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic.

Casa de Caoba - Dominican Republic

The now infamous location, a three story house built in 1940, was the country-side residence of the dictator, Rafael Leonidas Trujillo de Molina.

According Herminio Alberti, the poetry and images in the exhibition narrates the pain and injustice suffered by women at the hands of the dictator in that house.

It is said that, on the date of his assasination, May 30, 1961, Trujillo was actually on his way to this specific location.

After the death of the tyrant, the house remained open to the public as a museum, displaying many of Trujillo's belongings, such as: clothing, shoes, jewelry, hats and the pens which he used to sign the check for the full redemption of external debt back in July 19, 1947.

The museum remained open until 1979, when the country was hit by Hurricane David. From there a long period of neglect and looting left the house in shambles. Some of the items which were not stolen or which were recovered, are now exhibited at the museum Castillo del Cerro, another of Trujillo's homes, built in 1949.

Source & image: Dominican Embassy in Mexico