Monthly Newsletter - January 2009

Half a century after he was second in command to Fidel Castro during the victorious Revolution in Cuba, the Argentinean Che Guevara is plastered across t-shirts, posters, souvenirs and countless items that immediately profit from the immense popularity of his image. Many of those who travel to Latin America have at some point been inspired or intrigued by Che and are eager to retrace his steps across the continent. Che aficionados visit locations such as Machu Picchu and Cusco in Peru; travel to the place of his birth in Rosario, Argentina, situated within reach of the capital Buenos Aires – the city where Che studied medicine; or make a pilgrimage to the school in Bolivia where he eventually died trying to start another revolution.

This January, the movie Che by Steven Soderbergh hit cinemas with a positive reception amongst critics and the viewing public across the world who clamoured to see their idol depicted on the big screen. His face has indeed become one of the most recognisable images on the planet.

So just why has Che Guevara’s image remained so resonant in the 21st century, over forty years after his death? 

It must firstly be considered that the most popular image of Che is a classic and memorable piece of graphic design. The photograph was originally taken by Alberto Korda whilst Che attended a memorial service in Havana in 1960. It was later stylised by the Irish graphic artist Jim Fitzpatrick, who had earlier met Guevara during a visit to Dublin. Fitzpatrick reworked the image for a poster in striking red, white and black, mimicking the impacting style of designs that circulated in Communist Russia and Maoist China. It was this image - amongst the most reproduced in history - that went on to capture the imagination of millions. Che’s rugged and handsome looks in unison with his determined and defiant stare struck a chord with the excitement that surrounded the idea of communist revolution in the 1960s. The remarkable story of his triumphant and somewhat unexpected success in Cuba resonated with many political activists in western countries at the time.

The very fact that Che died so soon after he rose to global fame has also acted to immortalise and glorify his image. After his death in Bolivia in 1967 he immediately became a martyr for the communist cause. Perhaps if he had lived longer people would not look on him with the same adoration; his sometimes controversially violent methods have been confined to the history books.  Moreover, had he gone on to initiate similar revolutions in Latin America, perhaps his successes would not have withstood the test of time in the unique way that Cuba has: the Caribbean island has retained an exemplary health care system and social security that rivals any western country.

Most importantly, Che’s image has remained popular as a result of the strong political ideas that it represents.  Marxism was a hugely attractive ideology during the 1960s - it promoted ideas such as social and economic equality for all human beings and this corresponded with many ideas that blossomed in the years after the Second World War. The Cuban Revolution occurred amidst a growing wave of optimism that communism would succeed in destroying the social inequalities that had been born of the capitalist world. The fact that Che’s military strategy had played a large part in ensuring the toppling of the dictator Fulgencio Bastilla on the very doorstep of the United States of America – one of the strongest proponents of the capitalist dream – only acted to strengthen his appeal.

To this day Che’s image continues to inspire those who attest to ideals of freedom and equality. Across Latin America, for example, Che is a symbol of hope and promise for those who have lost faith in their government, banks and judicial systems that often treat them unfairly and do not give them a voice. The image has come to represent rebellion against this system – it represents the freedom and independence from those who try to control and suppress. It is almost certain that Che’s face will beam from the banners of any civil protest on the American continents and across the world.

The fascination for the 1960s has lasted until the 21st century as people continue look back with romanticism at an era where the world longed to change for the better. Che’s image embodies ideals that were the undercurrent of an upheaval in political thinking during the decade - ideals that look ever more nostalgic as it becomes increasingly difficult to imagine such changes taking place.

By
Simon Ross-Gill

If you have any questions regarding his article, please write to him at simon@peruforless.com.

Sources:
BBC
The Guardian
The Independent

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• Newsletter December 2008
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