A New Exhibit On Che Guevara Wants You To Get To Know The Man On Your College Roommate’s T-Shirt

A recent exhibit at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in California sought to show Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara as something more than a face on a t-shirt:

“Che Guevara; The Man, The Myth, The Icon,” chronicled the life of Guevara from an asthmatic youth to his death in the jungles of Bolivia. Presented by the former director of Long Beach’s Museum of Latin American Art, Gregorio Luke, the lecture included hundreds of rare photographs, video footage and historical documents to provide a thorough narrative on the figure’s life.

“My intention is not to praise or condemn Che, but to understand him. My hope is to give a lecture that is honest and rigorous of Che,” Luke said.

Iconic and ironic!:

The multimedia presentation was explicit in every aspect of Guevara’s life. The audience gasped when video footage detailed Guevara’s involvement at La Cabaña, where he oversaw the trials and execution of many people, many of who were officials of the regime toppled by the revolution.

Sociology student Natalie Statham said she felt the event was objective and educational.

“Like a lot of students, I didn’t know much about Che except from seeing his face on T-shirts and posters, so a presentation like this one is a good way to make valued judgments on important historical figures,” Statham said.

Sorry, we’re busy adjusting our Hugo Chavez hotpants. We doubt that any exhibit on a historical figure, especially one whose image has taken on almost mythical proportions to become popular almost independently of any understanding about Che’s actions and beliefs, can be totally objective. Che’s a complicated figure. Wait, Che’s the guy who was in Y Tu Mama Tambien, right?

Che Guevara: hero, revolutionary or murderer? [Daily 49er]