Narrative of a Portrait: at santralistanbul

Narrative of a Portrait:KORDA’S CHE FROM REVOLUTION TO ICONat santralistanbul

Santralistanbul presents a comprehensive exhibition on Alberto Díaz Korda’s 1960 portrait of Ernesto Che Guevara, one of the leading figures of the Cuban revolution, entitled “Guerrillero Heroico”. The exhibition traces the photograph from its revolutionary conception to its proliferating commercial contemporary appearances.

Santralistanbul is located on the European side of Istanbul at Kagithane,in Fatih district.

“Narrative of a Portrait: Korda’s Che from Revolution to Icon” exhibition will be open to visitors between 9 October 2008 – 4 January 2009 at santralistanbul.Curated by Trisha Ziff and organised by the UCR/California Museum of Photography, University of California, Riverside, the exhibition traces Ernesto Che Guevara’s well known portrait entitled Guerrillero Heroico (Heroic Guerrilla) taken by Alberto Korda in 1960. Considered by many to be the most reproduced image in the history of photography, this portrait has symbolised anti-establishment thought and action for decades.

Guerrillero Heroico (Heroic Guerrilla), a statuesque image shot from below, was taken at a mass funeral on 5 March 1960, at a time when Che held a position in the Cuban government overseeing the country’s transformation from an agrarian to an industrial economy. Curator Trisha Ziff defines the Guerrillero Heroico (Heroic Guerrilla) image by the former fashion photographer Alberto Korda as follows: “Korda, drew from the visual language of mythologised heroes prevalent in the era of socialist realism, yet he also accentuated Che’s classical, even Christ-like demeanour. At the same time, Che’s enigmatic gaze encompasses both determination and desire.”



“Narrative of a Portrait: Korda’s Che from Revolution to Icon” exhibition brings together photography, posters, film, audio, clothing and artefacts from more than thirty countries. This diverse collection traces the photograph from its revolutionary conception to the present day. The exhibition reveals how, through numerous appropriations, Korda’s Che has been transformed into a symbol that both resists interpretation and remains infinitely malleable.In conjunction to the exhibition, Darrel Couturier, who began to represent Alberto Korda in 1997 and gave Korda his first ever exhibition in the USA in 1998, will be giving a seminar entitled “The Portrait of Che by Alberto Korda: from Revolutionary to Icon”. Owner and director of Couturier Gallery in Los Angeles, Darrel Couturier, will tell the historic background as to how and why Korda took the celebrated photograph of Che Guevara. Tracing its conversion from a photograph of a revolutionary to an iconic image charged with social and political ideology which the world was later to convert into a highly commercial commodity, Darrel Couturier will examine political and social contexts that altered the use and interpretation of this image.“Korda’s Che from Revolution to Icon” which has been previously exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in the UK as well as at other leading venues in the USA, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Portugal may be viewed at santralistanbul between 9 October 2008 – 4 January 2009.

“Narrative of a Portrait: Korda’s Che from Revolution to Icon”Exhibition
09.10.2008-04.01.2009
santralistanbul
Main Gallery, 1st floor
“The Portrait of Che by Alberto Korda: from Revolutionary to Icon” / Darrel Couturier
Seminar
09.10.2008, Thursday, 14.00-16.00
Museum of Energy, Auditorium
The exhibition is open between 10 am – 8 pm everyday except Mondays.
The seminar will be held in English.

Source: http://www.santralistanbul.org/index_en.html