A Monument for Che Guevara
If Ernesto Che Guevara was still alive, he would be an old man of eighty years, but he died young (in 1967) and has become immortal. He is even sanctified by some Bolivian campesinos as Saint Ernesto. Actually, he had the perfect physique du rôle of a martyr. In the famous Alberto Korda portrait, he has the proud expression of a modern Saint George fighting against the Dragon of Capitalism and Oppression. The photo of his corpse calls to mind a Renaissance deposition of Christ.
Now, the Argentine sculptor Andrés Zerneri is making a tangible statue of Guevara. The peculiarity of this work is that it is made of bronze objects sent by Che fans from the world over. It will be unveiled in Rosario, his birthplace, on the next June 14 th. I think it’s a very good idea. This statue is a collective work which has a symbolic and almost religious mean: the faithful offer their “possessions” to build the monument of their hero/divinity. Ok, maybe I’m overdoing it. Certainly, if an afterlife exists, there is a furious Guevara who is waiting for those who make big money with his face.
Photo by Fortimbras
