“Beyond the famous image of a bearded man with moustache, long hair, dark eyes and a beret with a gold admiral’s star on it, stands “Che Guevara: Icon, Myth and Message.”
UCLA’s Fowler Museum is housing an exhibition examining diverse artistic interpretations of Che as romantic hero, guerrilla, intellectual, “everyman,” political leader, visionary, saint or martyr. It’s mainly political posters, although some photographs, paintings, drawings, and other media are included.
Ernesto “Che” Guevara was born in Argentina, and became a medical doctor. In an effort to help the poor, Che was active in the leftist movement of several Latin American countries, including Guatemala. He felt that capitalism should be fought because it oppresses people. He was heavily involved in the Cuban communist revolution of 1959. Che was one of the most powerful members of the Cuban government under Fidel Castro. Che was killed in Bolivia in 1967 while leading a guerrilla band trying to overthrow the Bolivian government. Che’s life raises an old question: what is the best form of government?
This exhibit gets you thinking: is capitalism okay? Every day on the streets you can see that a lot of people are poor and suffering. But is communism any better? The average Cuban does not have a very high quality of life, but there isn’t as much of a gap between the poor and the wealthy. Is it better for a few to gain wealth at the cost of most of the people? Communism would technically end the class system and therefore class conflict and warfare. Easing the gap between the haves and the have-nots might help with other problems, like racism and domestic violence.
Che believed in violent solutions
Che believed in violence to change things. Many believe violence is the only way to be heard; no one talks back to a man with a gun. However, other class revolutions have been fought with not nearly as much bloodshed. Ghandhi of India, and Martin Luther King Jr. in this country, used non-violent techniques, such as boycotts, to achieve their goals. This seems more logical. Or is it?
Che’s message relates to youth. He was willing to challenge the United States, a world power, and he was heard. He succeeded in raising doubts and questions about the effectiveness of the current government system. It is this message that Che sent us: Do not accept what exists as ultimate truth. Question and challenge—that brings strength.
Ironically, Che’s message might have gotten a little lost in all the Che paraphernalia that has been marketed—buttons, T-shirts, posters and other stuff. Capitalism, right?
In an L.A. Times article about Che, his daughter Aleida (who lives in Cuba) was quoted saying, “I hate to see my father’s face in ashtrays and on somebody’s bottom on their jeans. This is mercantilism. It’s opportunism. These people are just trying to make money.
“But I also have the hope that there are some young people who follow not the fashionable image but who search for the man in a global society that is losing all its values.”
I think part of the reason he became such an icon is because he symbolized hope to a lot of people. The masses identified with Che, fighting for a cause, fighting for change. He was a good-looking, dope-smoking hippie of the 60s, fighting against capitalism, which endangered Latin America’s poor.
Talking to some of the people I met at the exhibit, I could see it had an impact on them. “Seeing the exhibit, as far as revolutionary leaders, Che is an example for what youth can ultimately achieve by sticking to what they believe and using strength and determination. Che was a regular person but he had a vision of what things could be,” said one visitor, Geraldo Andrade.
“Che’s death only allows him to live on forever,” said another Che fan, Michael McKail.
This exhibition is at the Fowler Museum until February 1, 1998.”