A surreal portrait of life inside Guantánamo Bay

Camp America — Photographer Debi Cornwall steps inside the walls of the infamous US military prison, exposing an uncanny world of gift shops, bowling alleys and beachfront views.

After 12 years working as a civil rights lawyer working with innocent DNA exonerees, Debi Cornwall made a major career change. Still invested in the lives of those wrongfully imprisoned for crimes they did not commit, Cornwall put down the legal pad and picked up the camera in order to address the issue from a different perspective.

While having dinner with a friend who represented Guantánamo detainees, Cornwall realised striking similarities between the prison and military industrial complexes. “The question of resilience after trauma and systemic abuses of power is something I have been fascinated by my entire life,” Cornwall explains.

Sami, Sudanese (Qatar). Held: 5 years, 4 months, 16 days. Released: April 30, 2008. Charges: never filed

Sami, Sudanese (Qatar). Held: 5 years, 4 months, 16 days. Released: April 30, 2008. Charges: never filed

 

“When I first started trying to contact them, I got zero response. Because who was I? No one wanted to take the risk on me at that point. On a whim, I decided I should try to figure out if I could get permission to photograph at Guantánamo to make a different kind of picture that will invite us to look again.”

16 years have passed since the U.S. Naval Station in Cuba, known as “Gitmo,” first opened its doors under the Bush II administration. Here, prisoners are detained indefinitely without trial and have been subjected to a brutal torture program devised by the CIA under three consecutive administrations.

Marble Head Lanes

Marble Head Lanes

 

Cornwall made three trips to Gitmo in 2014 and 2015. She was required to follow 12 pages of rules, which were reviewed by the U.S. government and subject to deletion. The extensive list of prohibitions included revealing the identities of the detainees, military personnel, or civilian staff. What Cornwall could photograph was extremely limited, but from this, she was able to create Welcome to Camp America, Inside Guantánamo Bay (Radius Books), a surreal portrait inside one of the most horrific places on earth.

“On my first visit, it was a challenge for me to switch gears from having worked as an attorney,” Cornwall explains. “I was in the mindset I could martial the evidence and cross-examine my way into access – and that went out the window within about 15 minutes of my arrival. Instead, I decided to look at what I was being asked to see.”

Mourad, French Algerian (France). Muslim Youth Counselor. Held: 2 years, 8 months, 1 day. Transferred: July 26, 2005. Charges: never filed in the U.S. French conviction reversed on appeal.

Mourad, French Algerian (France). Muslim Youth Counselor. Held: 2 years, 8 months, 1 day. Transferred: July 26, 2005. Charges: never filed in the U.S. French conviction reversed on appeal.

 

What she saw was the eerie veneer of a culture invested in appearances above all – a prison for torture that featured a gift shop, a bowling alley, a pool, and beachfront views to be enjoyed by military personnel. The images made on site rival Kim Jong Un’s North Korea, where a photographer must make sense of censorship so extreme it becomes an integral part of the story unto itself. Cornwall invites viewers to piece together meaning using shiny fragments of a horror story that can be felt in the portraits made of 14 former detainees, all of whom were never formally charged by the U.S. with a crime.

“I arrived at Guantanamo thinking about it as a state of exception, and un-American place where accused men were held for years without charge or trial and tortured, not knowing if they were ever going to leave,” Cornwall reveals. “What I have come to understand is that this is not a state of exception. It is now an American place. It reflects on some fundamental level who we are and that was a sobering realisation as I continue to look at American power in my work.”

Poolside

Poolside

Military Privileges (Kools)

Military Privileges (Kools)

Hamza, Tunisian (Slovakia). Held: 12 years, 11 months, 19 days. Cleared: June 12, 2009. Transferred to Slovakia: November 20, 2014. Charges: never filed

Hamza, Tunisian (Slovakia). Held: 12 years, 11 months, 19 days. Cleared: June 12, 2009. Transferred to Slovakia: November 20, 2014. Charges: never filed

Compliant Detainee Media Room, Camp 5

Compliant Detainee Media Room, Camp 5

Feeding Chair, Camp 5

Feeding Chair, Camp 5

Smoke Break, Camp America

Smoke Break, Camp America

 

Debi Cornwall’s Welcome to Camp America, Inside Guantanamo Bay is available now from Radius Books.

Follow Miss Rosen on Twitter.

Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. 


You might like

Colourful collage of album covers and record sleeves on display in a gallery or museum setting, with glass panels on either side reflecting the vibrant arrangement.
Culture

Largest-Ever Display of UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Opens at Tate Modern

Grief Made Visible — Comprising hundreds of panels made by lovers, friends and chosen family, the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt returns in full for the first time since 1994 – a testament to grief, friendship and the ongoing fight against HIV stigma.

Written by: Ella Glossop

Rustic footbridge across a river, with people crossing it on a sunny day. Warm tones and shadows suggest an outdoor, natural setting.
Sport

In Medellín’s alleys and side streets, football’s founding spirit shines

Street Spirit — Granted two weeks of unfettered access, photographer Tom Ringsby captures the warmth and DIY essence of the Colombian city’s grassroots street football scene.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Diverse group of people with various expressions and styles, surrounded by bold text and graphics in dark colours.
Culture

Remembering New York’s ’90s gay scene via its vibrant nightclub flyers

Getting In — After coming out in his 20s, David Kennerley became a fixture on the city’s queer scene, while pocketing invites that he picked up along the way. His latest book dives into his rich archive.

Written by: Miss Rosen

Black and white image of several people in suits, some with long hair and unconventional appearances, alongside a large ship or boat model. Text overlaid: "FREAKS AND FINANCES".
Culture

On Alexander Skarsgård’s trousers, The Rehearsal, and the importance of weirdos

Freaks and Finances — In the May edition of our monthly culture newsletter, columnist Emma Garland reflects on the Swedish actor’s Cannes look, Nathan Fielder’s wild ambition, and Jafaican.

Written by: Emma Garland

A collage depicting a giant flup for mankind, with an image of the Earth surrounded by planets and people in sci-fi costumes.
Culture

Why Katy Perry’s space flight was one giant flop for mankind

Galactic girlbossing — In a widely-panned, 11-minute trip to the edge of the earth’s atmosphere, the ‘Women’s World’ singer joined an all-female space crew in an expensive vanity advert for Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Newsletter columnist Emma Garland explains its apocalypse indicating signs.

Written by: Emma Garland

Huck 79

We are all Mia Khalifa

How humour, therapy and community help Huck's latest cover star control her narrative.

Written by: Alya Mooro

Huck is supported by our readers, subscribers and Club Huck members. It is also made possible by sponsorship from:

Signup to our newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter to informed with the cutting edge of sport, music and counterculture, featuring personal takes on the state of media and pop culture from Emma Garland, former Digital Editor of Huck, exclusive interviews, recommendations and more.

Please wait...

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.