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Guerrillero Heroico
GuerrilleroHeroico.jpg
Фотография Че Гевары, сделанная Альберто Корда
ХудожникАльберто Корда
Дата завершения5 марта 1960 г. (1960-03-05)
ТипФотография
Исходное изображение, из которого был получен популяризированный портрет. Вырезав пальму и профиль Хорхе Мазетти , а также внося другие незначительные изменения, Корда придал образу Гевары «нестареющее качество, оторванное от специфики времени и места». [1]

Guerrillero Heroico (английский: «Героический партизан» ) является знаковой фотографией из Марксистских революционного Че Гевара принято Альберто Корда . Он был запечатлен 5 марта 1960 года в Гаване , Куба , на поминальной службе по жертвам взрыва La Coubre . К концу 1960-х годов этот образ в сочетании с последующими действиями Гевары и его казнью помогли упрочить лидера как культурную икону. [2] Корда сказал, что в момент, когда он снимал картину, его привлекло выражение лица Гевары, которое показывало «абсолютную непримиримость» [3]а также гнев и боль. [4] Спустя годы Корда скажет, что фотография показывает твердый и стойкий характер Че. [5] Геваре был 31 год на момент, когда была сделана фотография.

Подчеркивая вездесущность и широкую привлекательность изображения, Колледж искусств Института искусств Мэриленда назвал картину символом 20-го века и самой известной фотографией в мире. [6] Его версии были раскрашены, напечатаны, оцифрованы, вышиты, татуированы, нанесены трафаретной печатью, вылеплены или зарисованы почти на любой поверхности, которую только можно вообразить, что привело Музей Виктории и Альберта к заявлению, что фотография была воспроизведена больше, чем любое другое изображение в фотографии. [7] Джонатан Грин, директор Калифорнийского музея фотографии Калифорнийского университета , предположил, что

Образ Корды проник в языки по всему миру. Он стал буквенно-цифровым символом, иероглифом, мгновенным символом. Он загадочным образом появляется снова всякий раз, когда возникает конфликт. В истории нет ничего подобного. [8]

История и современное глобальное влияние образа легли в основу документального фильма « Chevolution» 2008 года режиссера Триши Зифф [9], а также книги Майкла Кейси «Загробная жизнь Че: Наследие образа » 2009 года . [10]

Истоки [ править ]

Че Гевара (третий слева) и Фидель Кастро (крайний слева) идут на кладбище Колон.

4 марта 1960 года французское грузовое судно La Coubre подозрительно взорвалось в гавани Гаваны , в результате чего погибло до 100 человек и несколько сотен было ранено. [11] Услышав взрыв, Гевара бросился в гавань, чтобы сесть на горящий корабль, в гневе пробиваясь мимо тех, кто заботился о его безопасности после вторичного взрыва. [11]

На следующий день, 5 марта, президент Фидель Кастро обвинил ЦРУ США и призвал к поминальной службе и массовой демонстрации на кладбище Колон в Гаване в честь жертв. [11] В то время Гевара был министром промышленности в новом правительстве, а Корда был официальным фотографом Кастро. После похоронного марша по набережной, известной как Малекон , Фидель Кастро произнес панегирик павшим на сцене на углу 23-й и 12-й улиц. [12] [13] Кастро произнес пламенную речь, впервые употребив слова «Patria o Muerte» («Родина или смерть»). [14] Тем временем в 11:20 Гевара на несколько секунд появился в поле зрения. Корда сфотографировал его всего в двух кадрах с расстояния примерно 25–30 футов (7,6–9,1 м), прежде чем он исчез из поля зрения. [13] Корда сразу понял, что его фотография имеет атрибуты портрета. [15] Позже Корда сказал об этой фотографии: «Я помню ее, как если бы это было сегодня ... видя его в видоискателе с таким выражением лица. Я до сих пор поражаюсь удару ... он так сильно меня потрясает». [7]

Контактный лист пленки Корды. Guerrillero Heroico появляется в четвертом ряду вниз, третье изображение сверху (снято по горизонтали).
Две фотографии Че из фильма Корды.

Во время митинга Корда сфотографировал кубинских сановников и известных французских философов - экзистенциалистов Жан-Поля Сартра и Симону де Бовуар , которые в то время были поклонниками Гевары. В пленку вошли кадры всех выступающих и две фотографии краткого появления Че. Классический снимок появляется на кадре номер 40, снятом по горизонтали. [16]

На первой фотографии Гевара был заключен в рамку между силуэтом Хорхе Мазетти и пальмой; второй - с чьей-то головой над плечом. Первый снимок с обрезанным вторгающимся материалом и слегка повернутым изображением стал самым известным портретом Гевары. Редактор Revolución, где работал Корда, решил использовать только свои снимки Кастро, Сартра и де Бовуара, отправив снимок Че обратно Корде. Веря образом был мощным, Корда сделала обрезанную версию для себя, что он расширил и висевшую на стене рядом с портретом чилийского поэта Паб Неруда , [14]а также передал копии некоторым другим в подарок. Лишь в 1986 году Хосе Фигероа, авторитетный фотограф, который печатал для Корды и был его неофициально «приемным» сыном, предложил им попробовать напечатать полнокадровую версию портрета. Корда продолжал печатать обе версии изображения вплоть до своей смерти. [17]

Leica M2 , похожая на ту, на которую была сделана фотография

Чтобы сделать снимок, Корда использовал Leica M2 с объективом 90 мм, на который была загружена панорамная пленка Kodak Plus-X . Говоря о методе, Корда заметил, что «эта фотография не является продуктом знания или техники. Это действительно совпадение, чистая удача». [18]

Альберто Корда [ править ]

Будучи на протяжении всей жизни коммунистом и до самой смерти сторонником кубинской революции , Альберто Корда не требовал платы за свою картину. Измененная версия портрета на протяжении десятилетий также воспроизводилась на различных носителях, хотя Корда никогда не запрашивал гонорары . Корда рассуждал, что образ Че олицетворяет его революционные идеалы, и, следовательно, чем шире распространяется его изображение, тем больше шансов, что идеалы Че распространятся. Отказ Корды получить гонорары за широкое распространение его фотографии «помог ему стать высшим символом марксистской революции и антиимпериалистической борьбы». [19]

Однако Корда не хотел коммерциализации изображения в отношении продуктов, которые, как он считал, Гевара не поддерживал, особенно алкоголя. Это убеждение впервые проявилось в 2000 году, когда в ответ на то, что Смирнов использовал изображение Че в рекламе водки, Корда заявил о своих неимущественных правах (форма закона об авторском праве ) и подал в суд на рекламное агентство Lowe Lintas and Rex Features, компанию, которая поставляла фотограф. [20] Линтас и Рекс утверждали, что изображение находится в общественном достоянии . Конечным результатом стало внесудебное урегулирование спора о 50 000 долларов США Корде [21], которое он пожертвовал кубинской системе здравоохранения, заявив, что «если бы Че был еще жив, он сделал бы то же самое».[22]

После урегулирования конфликта Корда повторил, что он полностью не против его пропаганды, заявив репортерам:

«Как сторонник идеалов, за которые умер Че Гевара, я не прочь воспроизвести его те, кто желает распространить его память и дело социальной справедливости во всем мире, но я категорически против использования образа Че в интересах общества. продвижение таких товаров, как алкоголь, или в любых целях, порочащих репутацию Че ». [15]

Использование на Кубе [ править ]

Plaza de la Revolución - в Гаване, Куба

Кубинский историк Эдмундо Десноес заявил, что «образ Че может быть отвергнут, куплен, продан и обожествлен, но он станет частью универсальной системы революционной борьбы и может восстановить свое первоначальное значение в любой момент». [23] Происхождение этого значения восходит к тому моменту, когда фотография Корды была впервые опубликована 16 апреля 1961 года в ежедневной кубинской газете Revolución , рекламирующей дневную конференцию, на которой главным докладчиком был «доктор Эрнесто Че Гевара». Однако конференция была сорвана, когда 1300 контрреволюционеров, поддерживаемых ЦРУ, штурмовали пляжи Кубы, что стало известно как неудавшееся вторжение в залив Свиней.. Таким образом, изображение было переиздано во второй раз, рекламируя недавно созванную конференцию 28 апреля 1961 года. В связи с этим представляется весьма вероятным, что в контексте обеих этих публикаций Че мог видеть фотографию, которая позже будет способствовать его культовый статус. [24]

Впервые кубинцы в большом масштабе ознакомились с этой фотографией, несмотря на ее более раннее воспроизведение в Revolución , когда услышали известие о смерти Че. Когда стало известно о казни Че, его увеличили и повесили на знамя пятиэтажного здания Министерства внутренних дел на Пласа-де-ла-Революсьон в Гаване . Это здание, где раньше работал сам Че, служило фоном для Фиделя.панегирик 18 октября 1967 года, публично признающий смерть Че Гевары перед толпой, насчитывающей более миллиона скорбящих. Хосе Гомес Фреске, известный кубинский плакатист и график, вспоминает, как, узнав о смерти Гевары, он сразу же всю ночь работал над созданием плаката, который будет использован на митинге в его честь на следующий день. Корда дал Фреске копию портрета в качестве основы для плаката, который он создал на красной бумаге. Это был первый частный Guerrillero Heroico, созданный на Кубе. С тех пор здание видело множество вариантов изображения, и сегодня постоянный стальной контур, полученный по фотографии, украшает здание. [25]

Международное распространение [ править ]

Джангиакомо Фельтринелли [ править ]

Переданный случайному другу и опубликованный в нескольких небольших кубинских изданиях, изображение Че оставалось относительно неизвестным в течение 7 лет. Отпечаток был продан или передан богатому итальянскому издателю и интеллектуалу Джангиакомо Фельтринелли в 1967 году. Фельтринелли только что вернулся из Боливии, где он надеялся, что его известность поможет в переговорах об освобождении французского журналиста и профессора Режи Дебре . Дебре был арестован в Боливии в связи с партизанской операцией под руководством Че Гевары.. Поскольку возможный захват или смерть Гевары казались неизбежными, поскольку ЦРУ выясняло его местонахождение, Фельтринелли приобрел права на публикацию захваченного Боливийского дневника Че. В это время Фельтринелли спросил кубинских чиновников, где взять изображения Гевары, и был направлен в студию Корды, где представил рекомендательное письмо от правительства. Документ просил Корды помочь найти хороший портрет Че. Корда сразу понял, что его любимое изображение Че было идеальным, и указал на снимок Че, висящий на стене в 1960 году, сказав, что эта фотография была лучшей из тех, что он делал с Че. Фельтринелли согласился и заказал 2 отпечатка. Когда он вернулся на следующий день, чтобы забрать их, Корда сказал ему, что, поскольку он был другом революции, ему не нужно платить.

По возвращении в Италию Фельтринелли распространил тысячи копий плаката, чтобы привлечь внимание к опасному положению Че и надвигающейся кончине. Позже, в 1967 году, после его казни 9 октября 1967 года, во всем мире был выпущен Боливийский дневник Че с фотографией Корды на обложке. Фельтринелли также создал плакаты для продвижения книги, указав авторские права на (c) Libreria Feltrinelli 1967 (в нижнем левом углу изображения) без упоминания Корды. [17] К этому времени образ Корды официально вошел в общественное сознание. Позднее Альберто Корда объяснил, что если бы Фельтринелли заплатил ему всего одну лиру за каждую репродукцию, он бы получил миллионы. Однако Корда также сказал, что простил его, потому что его действиямиизображение стало известным.[13]

Milan 1967[edit]

Feltrinelli's version of the image was used in October 1967 in Milan, Italy, when spontaneous protests occurred in response to the news of Che's death. Italian photographer Giorgio Mondolfo later stated that "the first time I saw the picture by Alberto Korda, I was not even slightly interested in the author. I was only fifteen, and it was the picture that had drawn us – many for the first time – to gather in the streets, crying Che lives!"[26]

Paris Match[edit]

Guerrillero Heroico also appeared in the August 1967 issue of Paris Match. Published only a few months before his eventual capture and execution, the issue featured a major article titled "Les Guerrilleros" by journalist Jean Lartéguy. Lartéguy wrote

At a time when Cuban revolutionaries want to create Vietnams all over the world, the Americans run the risk of finding their own Algeria in Latin America.[25]

The article ended by asking "Where is Che Guevara?" The caption of the photograph read "The official photograph of Che Guevara; on his beret the star, the symbol of the Comandante."[25] It is not known who provided the magazine with the image, and it was also not credited to Feltrinelli. However, with its wide circulation throughout Europe, and its status as an influential news journal, Paris Match could also be viewed as one of the original purveyors of the image.

Paris 1968[edit]

During the May 1968 Paris student riots, which eventually shook the de Gaulle government (but did not overthrow it), organizer "Danny The Red" utilized Fitzpatrick's rendition of Che during the protests. At this time, Che's image was picked up by the Dutch anarchist group "The Provos" in Amsterdam, who focused on triggering violent responses from authorities through non-violent means.

Jim Fitzpatrick[edit]

The original 1968 stylized image created by Jim Fitzpatrick.

In 1967, Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick was also using Korda's image as a basis for creating his own stylized posters. Fitzpatrick claims he received a copy of the photograph from the Dutch anarchist group "the Provos", who produced a magazine bearing the group's name. Fitzpatrick remembers that Provo magazine claimed the image originally came to Europe via Jean-Paul Sartre. Fitzpatrick's source of the image, then, would not have been Feltrinelli.[17]

"The first image I did of Che was psychedelic, it looks like he is in seaweed. His hair was not hair, it was shapes that I felt gave it an extra dimension. That was the image I produced for the magazine and that was done before he died and that is the important thing about that image. At first it did not print. It was considered far too strong and revolutionary. I was very inspired by Che's trip to Bolivia. He went there with the intent to overthrow the intensely corrupt government, helped by the Americans at the time, and that's where he died. I thought he was one of the greatest men who ever lived and I still do in many ways. And when he was murdered, I decided I wanted to do something about it, so I created the poster. I felt this image had to come out, or he would not be commemorated otherwise, he would go where heroes go, which is usually into anonymity."

— Jim Fitzpatrick, 2005[27]

To create the image Fitzpatrick made a paper negative on a piece of equipment called a grant. They were then printed in one color black and one color red, and he handpainted the star in yellow. Fitzpatrick "wanted the image to breed like rabbits" and hand printed thousands of images to give away to anyone for free in London, in addition to getting friends to pass them out while encouraging others to make their own versions. He printed about a hundred copies at a time to fulfill the demand of political groups in Ireland, France, and the Netherlands who began requesting the image. A batch was also sent to Spain, where they were seized by Franco's police.

Because of the high demand, Fitzpatrick formed a poster company called Two Bear Feet and produced a variety of posters in 1967 using the Korda image. All of them were created without copyright, because Fitzpatrick wanted them to be reproduced. One of these posters would be published in the satirical magazine Private Eye. The best-known was printed on silver foil and was exhibited in an exhibition in London called "Viva Che" at the Arts Laboratory, curated by Peter Meyer. This show was originally to be held at the Lisson Gallery in 1968 and illustrates how fast the image moved from protest into the realm of fine art.[28]

Because of Fitzpatrick's desire for the photograph to reflect something of himself, he raised Che's eyes more and added his initial, an "F", on the shoulder. It was not until the 40th anniversary of Che's death that Fitzpatrick admitted to this fact stating "I’m a bit mischievous, so I never told anyone."[29] At this time Fitzpatrick said that "I love the picture and wherever I am in the world, if I see it, I take a photo of it. I always have a chuckle when I see that little 'F'. I know that it's mine."[29] In November 2008, Fitzpatrick announced that he would be signing over the copyright of his Che image to the William Soler Pediatric Cardiology Hospital in Havana, Cuba. In announcing his reason for ensuring all future proceeds would go to the children's hospital, Fitzpatrick stated that "Cuba trains doctors and then sends them around the world … I want their medical system to benefit." Additionally, Fitzpatrick publicized his desire to gift the original artwork to the archive run by Guevara's widow, Aleida March.[30]

Ireland[edit]

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams is interviewed in the 2008 documentary Chevolution about the famous photograph. As he speaks, the film shows a montage of Che murals in Belfast, with Adams remarking "I suppose people from my background were drawn to that image, because of what Che Guevara represented."[31]

The United States and further influence[edit]

Guerrillero Heroico made its American debut in 1968 on New York City Subway billboards, when the image appeared in painted form by Paul Davis, for a poster advertising the February issue of Evergreen Review.[32] Paul Davis has stated that he was "inspired by Italian paintings of martyred saints and Christ", in his romanticised version of Che.[32]

"Che is an impetuous man with burning eyes and profound intelligence who seems born to make revolution."

— Henri Cartier-Bresson, Life magazine, 1963 [33]

However, the fascination was not solely an American phenomenon. For instance, British journalist Richard Gott who met with Che Guevara several times expressed a similar view, by stating how he was "struck by his magnetic physical attraction, comparable to the aura of a rock star." In Gott's opinion "almost everyone had the same impression, and journalists were particularly susceptible."[34] Time magazine, in an August 8, 1960, cover story after meeting with Guevara displayed this view, by remarking that Che wore "a smile of melancholy sweetness that many women find devastating."[35]

Argentine journalist Julia Costenlos, recalls that in her view he was "blessed with a unique appeal, an incalculable enchantment that came completely naturally."[36] Even under duress, The Times journalist Henry Brandon, who spoke with Guevara at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, remarked that Che possessed a "genial charm" that "might have made Charles Boyer envious."[37]

In judging the enduring appeal of the image, Darrel Couturier, representative for Korda since 1997, has opined that it was "the image of a very dashing young man" and that in the "age of free love and flower power … the time was ripe for a figure" or "image that could represent this great diversity in thinking and behavior the world over." According to Couturier, this "age of religious revolution", matched with Guevara's premature death, "elevated him to almost martyrdom."[38]

In art and culture[edit]

Main article: Che Guevara in popular culture

"When you look closely, you can see that many iconic photographs are constructed in the same way; it is possible to copy the formula. Look at some of the most enduring images of our age … Like Che, they are shot from below against a light background, giving them a raised, Godlike quality. The angle of the shot is particularly crucial, as profiles have little impact and full frontals tend to flatten the features. The direction and intensity of the subject's gaze is also key. Che is looking past the camera, out to his vision. His line of vision has been much tinkered with by various artists, but it retains its passion even on a table mat or a screensaver. An image like this is about a sign: it's a shorthand. This particular one now stands for opposition to the establishment, freedom and revolution."

— Alison Jackson, photographer and filmmaker [39]

As pop artists took to the image with glee, it evolved into a popular and heavily commercialized icon that often strayed far from Che's hard-line Marxist message.[40] British pop artist Sir Peter Blake has referred to Guerrillero Heroico as "one of the great icons of the 20th century."[41] When converted into a stark black cut-out, Korda's photograph became easy, cheap, and fast to copy using the favored material and method of the 1960s: lith film and screen painting.[42] By the time of his death in 1967, Che was already "a legend, the romantic epitome of worldwide rebellion" and in the wake of his perceived martyrdom, Korda's photograph went viral.[43] Rebellious young people found in it a "sense of empowerment, a crystallization of the perennial idealism of youth."[43]

Romanian protests against government corruption in 2017

According to the V&A Museum, "the photograph enshrines Che as a mythic hero. Taken from below, the revolutionary leader with searching eyes and resolute expression becomes larger than life. A perspective that dominates the imagery of social realism, it bears an irresistible aura of authority, independence and defiance."[7] The V&A Museum goes on to state that Korda's famous photograph first deified Che and turned him into an icon of radical chic. Its story, a complex mesh of conflicting narratives, gave Guerrillero Heroico a life of its own, an enduring fascination independent of Che himself.[7] The Italian magazine Skime evokes even more praise, decreeing it "absolutely the most famous of history" while proclaiming that it "captures beauty and youth, courage and generosity, aesthetic and moral virtues of a person who possessed all the characteristics necessary to be converted into a symbol of an epoch like ours, lacking in historic legends and mythic incarnations."[44] Journalist Richard Gott has also remarked that "the red star in Che's beret was up there with 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.'"[34] Jonathan Green, director of the UCR photography museum, has remarked that "pop art is a rejection of traditional figuration, rhetoric, and rendition. Its egalitarian anti-art stance was the perfect corollary for Che's anti-establishment attitude."[45]

Exhibits[edit]

A public rock mosaic along a street in Matanzas, Cuba.

"It is the image of a very dashing young man who was part of a revolution. This was a revolution of the people for the people in a time when there was a great unrest in many parts of the world, particularly in Latin America, Europe and the US. The Vietnam War was raging; students and workers were protesting and striking; it was the age of free love and flower power; it was the pop age; it was the age of religious revolution. The time was ripe for a figure, an image that could represent this great diversity in thinking and behavior the world over. Che's role in the Cuban Revolution made him a revered symbol of world class struggle, equality and freedom from domination and his premature death in 1967 elevated him to almost martyrdom."

— Darrel Couturier, Alberto Korda's agent who arranged his first U.S. exhibition in the 1998 [46]
  • 1968, the 'Arts Laboratory' in London held an exhibition on the photograph entitled "Viva Che."[47]
  • 1990, the Jour Agnes B Gallery in Paris, France, presented an exhibit of Korda's image titled "Che Guevara: A 21st Century Man."[48]
  • 1998, the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History in Los Angeles, California, featured an exhibition compiled by David Kunzle titled "Che Guevara: Icon, Myth and Message."[49]
  • 2003, the Centre for Contemporary Art in Rethymnon, Greece, presented an exhibit titled "Che Guevara's Death."[50]
  • 2004, the Centro Nacional de la Música, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, held an exhibition titled "Che Guevara by the photographers of the Cuban Revolution."[49]
  • 2005, the UCR/California Museum of Photography featured an exhibition titled "Revolution and Commerce: The Legacy of Korda's Portrait of Che Guevara."[51]
  • 2005, the International Center of Photography in New York City held an exhibition titled "¡Che! Revolution and Commerce."
  • 2006, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London hosted an exhibition titled "Che Guevara: Revolutionary and Icon."[52]
  • 2007, the La Triennale in Milan, Italy, featured an exhibition titled "Che Guevara Rebel and Icon: The Legacy of Korda's Portrait."
  • 2007, the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam held a special exhibition about the photograph titled "Che! A Commercial Revolution."
  • 2007, the Frost Art Museum at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, presented an exhibition featuring the photograph.[53]
  • 2008, the WestLicht Gallery in Vienna, Austria, offered an exhibition on Guerrillero Heróico in relation to the "development of a mythos."[54]
  • 2008, the Fototeca center in Havana, Cuba, held an exhibition titled "Korda, Known. Unknown."
  • 2008, the Santralistanbul in Istanbul, Turkey, hosted the exhibit "Narrative of a Portrait: Korda's Che from Revolution to Icon."[46]
  • 2009, the Dom Nashchokina Gallery in Moscow, hosted the exhibition "Che: Hasta Siempre! Meet You in the Eternity" from June 18 to September 20, 2009.[55]
  • 2010, the International Center of Photography in New York City, hosted the exhibition "Cuba in Revolution" from November 11 to January 9, 2011 – which featured several versions of the image.[56]

Posters and covers[edit]

An OSPAAAL poster advertising the 1969 Tricontinental Conference.
"It is the photograph that adorns student bedsits across the world. The famed black and white portrait of Ernesto "Che" Guevara perfectly captured his intense stare and brooding good looks, helping establish his myth."

— The Guardian [57]

  • In 1967 Polish artist Roman Cieslewicz designed a poster with the words "Che Si" (translation: 'Yes Che') emblazoned over his face as eyes and nose. This was later featured on the October 1967 cover of the French art magazine Opus International.
  • In 1968, Elena Serrano produced a widely distributed poster titled "Day of the Heroic Guerrilla", which shows telescoping images of Korda's photograph expanding to cover the entire red map of South America.
  • The 1968 February issue of Evergreen Review, featured Che's image in a painted form by Paul Davis.
  • The September 1969 issue of Tricontinental Magazine featured a conjoined image of Korda's Che with Ho Chi Minh.
  • During a 1969 student strike at Berkeley, a poster was produced and distributed with a cartoon bubble coming from Che's mouth possessing the words: "Shut it down!"
  • In 1970, the Art Workers' Coalition produced a widely distributed anti-Vietnam War poster featuring an outline of Che on a yellow background, with his famous quotation: "Let me say at the risk of appearing ridiculous, that the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love."
  • The Rage Against the Machine artwork for their 1993 single, "Bombtrack" features a mirrored version of the iconic two-tone portrait by Jim Fitzpatrick.
  • The September 16, 1996 edition of Der Spiegel magazine titled: "The Myth of Che Guevara", featured Che's image adorned with a halo of moving bullets.
  • A computerized rendition of Guerrillero Heroico appeared on the cover of the March 1–7, 2006 issue of Metro, above the title "The Blog Revolution."
  • In 2003, Madonna's album American Life featured the singer redoing Guerrillero Heroico.
  • The December 2008 issue of Rolling Stone Argentina features Guerrillero Heroico on the cover.[58]

Commodity[edit]

T-shirts for sale at the Museo de la Revolución gift shop in Havana, Cuba.
See also: Che Guevara clothing and fashion accessories

The Che image has been cited as an example of the merging of politics and marketing and the power that images hold over our society.[40] Trisha Ziff, the curator of a 2004 touring exhibition on the iconography of Che has stated that "Che Guevara has become a brand. And the brand's logo is the image, which represents change. It has become the icon of the outside thinker, at whatever level, whether it is anti-war, pro-green or anti-globalisation. Its presence, everywhere from Belfast to Soweto, or from walls in the Palestinian territories to Parisian boutiques, makes it an image that is out of control. It has become a corporation, an empire, at this point."[59]

Alberto Korda's photograph has received wide distribution and modification, appearing on countless numbers of T-shirts, posters, consumer products, protest banners, personal tattoos, and in many other formats. It has morphed into an iconic countercultural symbol for a new generation of youth.[60] The image is now worn on the chests of a diverse group of individuals, from those who truly support the ideals that Che Guevara lived for, to those expressing a more generalized anti-authoritarian stance.[59]

Iconography[edit]

A mural of Guerrillero Heroico on the side of a house in Cuba.

If this were a photo session, you couldn't have asked for more. The model, long-haired with steely gaze and wispy guerrillero beard. Jacket zipped to the chin. Collar up and hair uncombed. Jaw set in anger. Beret at a perfect, rakish tilt. There's tension even in his pose: his shoulders turning one way, his face another. And those eyes, mournful but defiant, staring up and to the right as if at some distant vision of the future, or a giant, slow-approaching foe.

— Ben Ehrenreich, Los Angeles Times [61]

Journalist Michael Casey, in his 2009 book Che's Afterlife: The Legacy of an Image, notes how the universal image can be found "in all corners of the world" and theorizes that it arrived as a symbol of rebellion during an era when the world was aching for change.[2] In defining Korda's photograph as a "brand" and "quintessential post-modern icon", Casey notes that somehow the photograph encapsulates "hope and beauty," which causes people around the globe to "invest their dreams in it."[2] While David Kunzle, author of the book Che Guevara: Icon, Myth, and Message, has opined that "The beret functions subliminally as a flattened halo."[62]

A Che banner in Kasargod, India, announcing the district conference for the Students Federation of India.

Trisha Ziff, the curator of Che! Revolution and Commerce describes Guerrillero Heroico as a "statuesque image taken from below," which "derives from a visual language of mythologized heroes harking back to an era of socialist realism" while referencing "a classical Christ-like demeanor."[63] Jon Lee Anderson, author of Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life, in the photograph Che appears "as the ultimate revolutionary icon" with "his eyes staring boldly into the future" and "his expression a virile embodiment of outrage at social injustice."[41]

The stylized image of Che Guevara, adapted from Korda's photograph, is commonly accompanied by several different symbols that add context to its inherent suggested meaning. The most common of these are the red star,[64] hammer and sickle,[65] Cuban flag,[66] and the saying in Spanish "Hasta la Victoria Siempre"[67] (Translation: "Towards Victory, Always"). The multi meaning phrase became the sign off for Che Guevara's numerous letters and speeches as a revolutionary,[68] and represent the commitment to both never give up on the eventual triumph of a Marxist world revolution, and the belief that this victory once it occurs, will be eternal. As a result, "Hasta la Victoria Siempre" has become a de facto slogan or catchphrase,[69] used as a motto by those who continue to support and/or admire Che Guevara's life and/or ideals.[70]

Copyright status[edit]

A 2009 highway billboard with Che's slogan of "Hasta la Victoria Siempre" (Towards Victory, Always).

For decades the famous image was unhindered by international copyright agreements, because Cuba was not a signatory to the Berne Convention. Fidel Castro described it as a "bourgeois concept" which meant that artists and advertisers were free to use Korda's work as they pleased.[40] Legally, Cuban Law no. 156 signed on September 28, 1994, to amend part of Law no. 14 of the 1977 Copyright Act (Article 47), states that pictures taken in Cuba fall into the public domain worldwide, 25 years after their first use.[71] As for the United States, since the image was first published in Cuba without compliance with U.S. copyright formalities and used in Cuba before February 20, 1972 (more than 25 years before Cuba signed the Berne Convention in 1997) it is also generally, although not universally, considered to be in the public domain.

Despite conflicting claims about whether or not the image could have copyright established, Korda's children have sought to control commercial use of the image from defamation. Korda's daughter Diana Diaz pursued a 2003 lawsuit in France against a Paris-based press rights group Reporters Without Borders, for using the Che photograph in a poster campaign decrying Cuba as "the world's largest jail", aimed at dissuading French tourists from vacationing in Cuba after the jailing of 29 dissident journalists.[72] In suing the group for 1.14 million euros, Diaz's lawyer, Randy Yaloz remarked that "we are going after everyone who betrays the moral rights of my client".[73] Moral rights are a separate component of copyright law that are not recognized in the U.S., but are recognized in some other countries, notably in France where Diaz filed the lawsuit.[74] Moral rights aim to protect the integrity of a work from defamation, distortion, slander, or offensive mutilation, even if the originator no longer owns the copyright.[74] However, Reporters Without Borders stopped using the image before any legal judgment was rendered.[73]

Ariana Hernández-Reguant addressed the image's copyright status in 2004 in her article Copyrighting Che: Art and Authorship under Cuban Late Socialism. She expressed a skeptical view towards Korda's heirs being able to establish ownership over the image, noting in reference to the lawsuits involving the image, "There was never any official ruling on whether the depiction constituted a violation of copyright." The author goes on to state that: "Korda took the picture while working for a state-run newspaper, his actual property rights would be questionable under both Cuban and international law."[75]

"We're not after money, we just don't want him misused. He can be a universal person, but respect the image."

— Aleida Guevara, Che's daughter [76]

In 2007, law student Sarah Levy also addressed the potential legal status of the image in Cuba. It was her ultimate contention that "in Cuba the copyright protection in Korda's Guevara photograph would have already expired, and despite the claims of ownership from Korda's heirs, the State would now hold any rights associated with the photograph."[77] In regards to the more commonly disseminated stylized version of the photograph, lawyers say it will be an uphill struggle to deter non-photographic use of such a widely reproduced image, other than in countries like Italy where laws protect image rights.[72]

Guevara's heirs also believe they have legal justification to prevent the image's "exploitation" or slander. Guevara's Cuban widow Aleida March stated in 2005 that "We have a plan to deal with the misuse. We can't attack everyone with lances like Don Quixote, but we can try to maintain the ethics of Guevara's legacy."[72] In reference to this pronouncement, Guevara's daughter Aleida Guevara told Reuters, "It will be costly and difficult because each country has different laws, but a limit has to be drawn."[72]

Further reading and viewing[edit]

Main article: List of works related to Che Guevara

Books[edit]

  • Alberto Korda: A Revolutionary Lens, by Diana Diaz & Mark Sanders, Steidl, 2007, ISBN 3-86521-458-4
  • Che's Afterlife: The Legacy of an Image, by Michael Casey, Vintage Books USA, 2009, ISBN 0-307-27930-8
  • Che Guevara: Revolutionary and Icon, by Trisha Ziff, Abrams Image, 2006, ISBN 0-8109-5718-3
  • Che: Images of a Revolutionary, by Oscar Sola, Pluto Press, 2000, ISBN 0-7453-1700-6
  • Che: The Photobiography of Che Guevara, Thunder's Mouth Press, 1998, ISBN 1-56025-187-5
  • Cuba by Korda, by Christophe Loviny & Alberto Korda, Ocean Press (AU), 2006, ISBN 1-920888-64-0
  • Self Portrait Che Guevara, by Ernesto Guevara & Victor Casaus, Ocean Press (AU), 2004, ISBN 1-876175-82-6

Films[edit]

  • Che Guevara: Kordavision, 2008 (87 min). Directed by Hector Cruz Sandoval.
  • Chevolution, 2008, Produced by Trisha Ziff & Directed by Luis Lopez, Red Envelope Entertainment.[78][79]
  • Personal Che, 2008, Directed by Adriana Mariño and Douglas Duarte.[80]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Brand Che: Revolutionary as Marketer's Dream by Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times, April 20, 2009
  2. ^ a b c Communists, Capitalists still buy into Iconic Che Photo, Author says by Brian Byrnes, CNN, May 5, 2009
  3. ^ Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life, by Jon Lee Anderson, 1997, pg 465
  4. ^ Che Guevara: Revolutionary & Icon, by Trisha Ziff, Abrams Image, 2006, pg 15
  5. ^ "Che Guevara: Revolutionary & Icon", by Trisha Ziff, Abrams Image, 2006, pg 33
  6. ^ Maryland Institute of Art, referenced at BBC News, "Che Guevara photographer dies", May 26, 2001. Online at BBC News, accessed January 4, 2006.
  7. ^ a b c d "V&A: The story of an image, exhibition organised by UCR/California Museum of Photography". Vam.ac.uk. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  8. ^ "Che as revolutionary and icon, by Corinna Lotz". Aworldtowin.net. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  9. ^ DVD Review: Chevolution Archived 2010-02-14 at the Wayback Machine by David Van Der Haeghen, DVD Town, January 16, 2010
  10. ^ Brand Che: Revolutionary as Marketer’s Dream by Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times, April 20, 2009
  11. ^ a b c Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life, by Jon Lee Anderson, 1997, pg 442
  12. ^ "La historia detrás de la foto más famosa del Che Guevara". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 5 October 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  13. ^ a b c Obit: Alberto Korda Archived 2008-12-21 at the Wayback Machine The Times, May 28, 2001
  14. ^ a b Iconic Photo of Che Guevara Now Half a Century Old by the Latin American Herald Tribune, March 5, 2010
  15. ^ a b "The Making of an Icon: Forty Years, Sunday Herald, Oct 7 2007". Findarticles.com. October 7, 2007. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  16. ^ "El Guerrillero Heroico (1960)" by Emilio Brizzi, On Photography And More, February 5, 2007
  17. ^ a b c Introduction: Korda's Che Moves Out into the World by Trisha Ziff, January 2005
  18. ^ Alberto Korda at The Art History Archive by Brandi Leigh, November 2007
  19. ^ Cuba, 5 March 1960: Alberto Korda by Ian K Smith, New Statesman, April 1, 2010
  20. ^ After 40 Years and Millions of Posters, Che's Photographer Sues for Copyright by Matt Wells, The Guardian, August 7, 2000
  21. ^ Ariana Hernández-Reguant, Copyrighting Che: Art and Authorship under Cuban Late Socialism, Public Culture 2004 v. 16 pp. 1–30. pg 4
  22. ^ Cuba's Che Photographer Korda Dies in Paris by Andrew Cawthorne, Reuters, May 25, 2001
  23. ^ "Shaykh Che Guevara" Archived 2008-05-07 at the Wayback Machine Q-News, July 2006, Issue 367, pg 80
  24. ^ "Che Guevara: Revolutionary & Icon", by Trisha Ziff, Abrams Image, 2006, pg 16
  25. ^ a b c "Che Guevara: Revolutionary & Icon", by Trisha Ziff, Abrams Image, 2006, pg 19
  26. ^ The 150th Anniversary of Photography catalogue, an exhibition curated by Guiliana Scimè, Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1988.
  27. ^ "A phone conversation between Aleksandra Mir and Jim Fitzpatrick, (Dublin), January 3, 2005". Aleksandramir.info. Archived from the original on March 16, 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  28. ^ "Che Guevara: Revolutionary & Icon", by Trisha Ziff, Abrams Image, 2006, pg 21
  29. ^ a b Artist reveals his guerrilla tactics with iconic image’s secret mark, by Web Studio Ireland, October 9, 2007
  30. ^ The Diary, Ken Sweeney – Che and Share Alike, says Jim Archived 2008-12-07 at the Wayback Machine November 30, 2008
  31. ^ Gerry Adams Featured in New Che Guevara Documentary by Kenneth Haynes, Irish Central, September 8, 2009
  32. ^ a b "Che Guevara: Revolutionary & Icon", by Trisha Ziff, Abrams Image, 2006, pg 22
  33. ^ This is Castro’s Cuba Seen Face to Face, by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Life magazine, March 15, 1963, pg 41
  34. ^ a b The story of the iconic image of Che Guevara by Richard Gott, The Hindu, June 5, 2006
  35. ^ Castro's Brain by Time magazine, August 8, 1960
  36. ^ "Poster Boy" by Richard Gott, The Guardian, June 3, 2006
  37. ^ From the archive: Attack us at your peril, cocky Cuba warns US Times Online, November 2, 2008
  38. ^ ‘Korda’s Che from Revolution to Icon’ travels to İstanbul by Rumeysa Kiger, Today's Zaman, October 20, 2008
  39. ^ Che: The Artists View by Alison Jackson, New Statesman, June 12, 2006
  40. ^ a b c Che: The Birthday of a Revolutionary Brand by Michael J. Casey, The Wall Street Journal, March 5, 2010
  41. ^ a b Just a Pretty Face? by Sean O'Hagan, The Observer, July 11, 2004
  42. ^ "Che Guevara: Revolutionary & Icon", by Trisha Ziff, Abrams Image, 2006, pg 42
  43. ^ a b A look at Che Guevara through the Lens of his Iconic Image, by Robert W. Butler, The Miami Herald, February 19, 2010
  44. ^ "Che Guevara: Revolutionary & Icon", by Trisha Ziff, Abrams Image, 2006, pg 41
  45. ^ "Che Guevara: Revolutionary & Icon", by Trisha Ziff, Abrams Image, 2006, pg 75
  46. ^ a b 'Korda’s Che from Revolution to Icon' Travels to İstanbul Today's Zaman, November 10, 2008
  47. ^ Korda's Che Moves Out into the World by Trisha Ziff, 2005
  48. ^ Cubarte. "Cubarte Gallery: Alberto Korda". Galeriacubarte.cult.cu. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  49. ^ a b "Exposiciones Colectivas (Selección)". Korda Por Siempre. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  50. ^ "35 years without Che Guevara – Photography Exhibition in Rethymnon". Travel-to-crete.com. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  51. ^ UCR/California Museum of Photography (1960-03-05). "Revolution and Commerce: The Legacy of Korda's Portrait of Che Guevara". Cmp.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  52. ^ "V&A – Che Guevara: Revolutionary & Icon". Vam.ac.uk. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  53. ^ "Meet the Man Behind the Dorm Room Poster", By Raina McLeod, Miami New Times, January 18, 2007
  54. ^ WestLicht Gallery Reconsiders Che Guevara in Photography Exhibit in Vienna Archived 2008-12-21 at the Wayback Machine from Art Daily
  55. ^ Meet Legendary Che Guevara in Moscow June 18, 2009
  56. ^ Tumult and Triumph in Black and White by Ken Johnson, The New York Times, November 11, 2010
  57. ^ Row rages over iconic image of Che Guevara by Jamie Doward, The Observer, March 7, 2010
  58. ^ "[Cover]". Rolling Stone Magazine (Argentine edition). December 2008. p. cover.
  59. ^ a b Che: The icon and the ad by Stephanie Holmes, October 5, 2007, BBC.
  60. ^ Guevara's Last Stand by Chris Bradley, New Statesman, June 12, 2008
  61. ^ Capitalizing on Che Guevara's image by Ben Ehrenreich, the Los Angeles Times, June 1, 2008
  62. ^ "Che Guevara: Revolutionary & Icon", by Trisha Ziff, Abrams Image, 2006, pg 88
  63. ^ Korda's Che Moves Out into the World by Trisha Ziff, UCR exhibit introduction
  64. ^ "Che + red star". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  65. ^ "Che + Hammer and Sickle". Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  66. ^ "Che + Cuban Flag". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  67. ^ "Che Guevara + Hasta la Victoria Siempre". Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  68. ^ Che Guevara monument in Santa Clara Archived 2009-03-05 at the Wayback Machine
  69. ^ "Plaza of the Revolution in Havana, Cuba". Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  70. ^ "Remembering Che: Hasta La Victoria Siempre!". Omega.wordpress.com. 2007-10-09. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  71. ^ WIPO Guide to Intellectual Property Worldwide, Issue 479 of WIPO publication, by the World Intellectual Property Organization, 2000, ISBN 92-805-0856-3, pg 144–147
  72. ^ a b c d Reuters, "Che's Family Plans to Fight Use of Famed Photo Archived 2009-09-08 at the Wayback Machine", Common Dreams, August 29, 2005
  73. ^ a b Korda Daughter Sues RSF Over Image of Che, by Cuba News, March 2004
  74. ^ a b Intellectual Property Rights: Critical Concepts in Law, Volume 2, by D. Vaver, Taylor & Francis, 2006, ISBN 0-415-33089-0, pg 273–280
  75. ^ Hernandez-Reguant, Ariana. "Copyrighting Che: Art and Authorship under Cuban Late Socialism". Public Culture – Volume 16, Number 1, Winter 2004, pp. 1–29, – pp. 4
  76. ^ 40 Years After Che Guevara's Death, his Image is a Battleground by Marc Lacey, The New York Times, October 8, 2007
  77. ^ "A Copyright Revolution: Protecting the Famous Photograph of Che Guevara", by Sarah Levy, 13 Law and Business Review of the Americas, Am. 687. Summer of 2007.
  78. ^ Tribeca Review: Chevolution by Joel Keller, April 27, 2008.
  79. ^ Review: Chevolution Archived 2011-10-07 at the Wayback Machine by Daniel Zugna, March 16, 2010
  80. ^ Official Website of "Personal Che" Archived 2008-09-14 at the Wayback Machine directed by Adriana Mariño & Douglas Duarte

External links[edit]

  • BBC: Che: The Icon and the Ad, by Stephanie Holmes, 2007
  • CNN Video: Examining an Iconic Image
  • Gallery of Pictures from The Guardian
  • Guerrillero Heroico: a Brief History by Trisha Ziff
  • Che Guevara Spray Paint Stencil
  • Che's Afterlife: The Legacy of an Image by Michael Casey Archived 2012-10-18 at the Wayback Machine – image collection from the book
  • MSNBC: Che Guevara, Revolutionary or Chic Icon? by Tyler Vaughn, 2006
  • Washington Post: Che Guevara's Iconic Image Endures by Martha Irvine, 2006
  • Smithsonian: The Story Behind Che’s Iconic Photo by Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, 2016