Che and Sugar Cereal

This photograph of Ernesto "Che" Guevara was taken by the Cuban photographer Alberto Korda on March 5, 1960. It is considered to be one of the most reproduced images in the history of photography. Although the photograph appears to be staged, it was not according to Korda.

I had the privilege of interviewing Korda about this photograph when I worked as a crew member for a documentary film in 2000. Korda claimed that Che, despite his (very) photogenic qualities, was quite the timid subject. He snapped this photo candidly when Che was attending the funeral of one of his fallen comrades. The photographer said the expression of passionate conviction on Che's face is utterly sincere, although it looks kind of *Hollywood.* The powerful photograph has since helped convert Che into nothing less than a pop icon. You can find this very image on t-shirts, coffee mugs, mouse pads, screen savers--you name it.

Time Magazine published an interesting take on Che Guevara's popularity amongst the younger generation. Here is a blurb from the original TIME 100 article.

"Perhaps in these orphaned times of incessantly shifting identities and alliances, the fantasy of an adventurer who changed countries and crossed borders and broke down limits without once betraying his basic loyalties provides the restless youth of our era with an optimal combination, grounding them in a fierce center of moral gravity while simultaneously appealing to their contemporary nomadic impulse. To those who will never follow in his footsteps, submerged as they are in a world of cynicism, self-interest and frantic consumption, nothing could be more vicariously gratifying than Che's disdain for material comfort and everyday desires. One might suggest that it is Che's distance, the apparent impossibility of duplicating his life anymore, that makes him so attractive."

You can view a scene from the film "Motorcycle Diaries" here.