For some of us, before we knew the first name of the revolutionary Che, we knew his face as the pop star rebel who epitomised everything that was anti-establishment. Born on June 14, 1928, today marks his 84 birth anniversary. The anti-imperialist hero is probably turning in the unmarked grave he was buried in by the CIA in 1967, knowing that his face has been used to sell all manner of consumer goods.
Generations that followed have remembered him on their t-shirts, posters, cigarette lighters, slippers, CD cases and soap dishes, with the fiery frame of Che, his head at an indignant angle, determined eyes staring at a future that is almost tangible with dishevelled hair flowing from below his beret.
The photograph by Alberto Korda is one of the most reproduced pictures in history and, continuing with the theme of iconic, is one of the most recognisable images through history.
Before Ernesto Che Guevara became the face that launched a thousand t-shirts, he was the physician-turned-rebel who played a crucial role in the two-year guerrilla campaign that resulted in the downfall of the dictator Batista's regime in Cuba.
Commemorating Che, is a rally that has been organised by Jagdish G. Chandra, a self proclaimed socialist and radical left winger: “Without going into the right and wrong of the many manifestations of Che in popular culture, I think it is imperative to have a rally like this to help the youth realise what he actually means and the extent of this iconic status they have knowingly or unbeknownst given him. Che had a rebellious nature and a scientific temper, which young people should inculcate.”
Matter of perspective
Revolutionary or rockstar? Jagdish answers, “I'm not pessimistic; there are certain characteristics about Che that are attracting the youth, and this is something we need to be positive about. Everything depends on the consciousness of the people. We should take the best elements of history and present it to the youth. There are still revolutions that are taking place across the globe and as a follower of Che, I have faith.”
While the activist sees the silver lining, Bangalore-based artist and graphic novelist, Appupen says, “He is the unluckiest guy in the world. Once when I was doing a painting for a pub, there were framed images of Jim Morrisson, Jimi Hendrix and Che. The owner of the pub pointed at the pictures and said, ‘All rock stars, all dying of drugs.' I will not be surprised if a fraction of the people believes Che is a rock star.”
Che did not have to do much to look good on a poster – the distinct features, the intense look, the beard – he had the whole thing going for him. But Appupen says, “It was not only a good-looking picture, but also was a single colour picture that was cheap and easy to slap onto any surface.”
A t-shirt with Che's face emblazoned across it is a staple in almost every college student's wardrobe, and Aarif Khan, a t-shirt vendor on Brigade Road says that there was a time six months ago when he would sell between 60 and 80 t-shirts in a month.
Che, the personality and the face, as an icon that inspires fashion cannot be disputed. “Besides being a revolutionary, he was young, daring, good looking and very heroic. The unshaven look, the beret and the way he wore his clothes accentuated his persona. He made a remarkable style statement and even the popularity of t-shirts with Che's face on it, comes from the fact that his face stands for a new world order,” says designer Deepika Govind.
Che helped mould the political consciousness of an entire generation and today if among the tens of thousands of people who own Guevara memorabilia, a portion of them see the hope he stood for, he did not rebel in vain.
