Fliers Missing in Action: Che Images Disappear

The air of mystique surrounding the Cuban culture seems to have extended to the promotion of the art show. Weeks before the opening, hundreds of English and Spanish-language fliers distributed throughout Santa Ana announcing “Tiempo,” have almost entirely disappeared, even from the Santora Building’s display cases.

Maybe it’s because the fliers, produced by Stone, bear an image of Latin American revolutionary leader Ernesto “Che” Guevara, who fought to establish a Communist government in Cuba.

The original picture, taken by the late Cuban photographer Alberto Korda, shows Guevara wearing a military beret overflowing curls and gazing intently. The image took on icon status when it appeared just after Guevara was captured and executed in Bolivia in 1967. Since then Guevara’s face has appeared on posters and T-shirts, key rings and caps.

As for the promotional posters for “Tiempo” that bear his visage, they’re either so cool they get stolen or so political they’re controversial.

“I’ve had some complaints already from a few people who say that Che is a symbol of Communism,” Stone said.

“I was concerned about how the community might respond to this show given all the Asian protests in Westminster, because the store owner put up the [portrait] of Ho Chi Minh.”

Although images of socialism might be stirring discomfort among some local Latinos--Orange County is home to an estimated 6,700 Cuban Americans, according to recently released U.S. Census reports--Legacy Art Gallery owner and director Margie Tabor Zuliani said her exhibit is apolitical.

Although she has been asked by a tenant in the Santora Building to downplay Guevara’s image, she said she believes the public discussion of Cuba is important.

“The issue for me is tolerance and to embrace and value all cultures,” she said.