What you normally see is the cropped version of the photograph (usually on a t-shirt).
This is the full photo of Ernesto "Che" Guevara. It has another person and a palm tree, both of which were thankfully removed.
This iconic photograph was taken during the memorial service for the victims of the French vessel, La Coubre. The ship exploded in the Havana harbour the day before, killing hundred people and injuring many others.
This is Che and chums walking to the cemetery in protest.
The protests took place because Fidel Castro blamed the CIA for these explosions.
This was at the time when the US - USSR cold war was in full force with things like the space race and nuclear proliferation heating things up between the two superpowers.
Cuba played its part as a communist nation and allied with the USSR.
1960s US imagined a situation where they had to worry about nukes in Cuba and tried their best to neutralize this threat.
The alleged bombing of the La Coubre was part of this plan. Cuba was, naturally mega pissed off at this turn of events.
The person who took the photo, Alberto Korda, was Fidel Castro's official photographer.
Korda clicked many snaps that day. Here is the reel of photos, one of which includes the immortal picture of Che in the fourth row.
The next person in this story is the Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick received the photo and modified it.
He made it in three colours - black, red & the yellow star and added an F at the bottom right corner.
Fitzpatrick gave away the print for free to anyone who'd take it since he wanted the image to "breed like rabbits".
His liberal use of the image and the lack of copyright made it a popular image that is used in various types of merchandise.
Here's Margaret Thatcher, Justin Trudeau, Alfred E Neuman (mascot of Mad Magazine) and a dog, all in the same format.
This image inspired other variations. For instance, the American poet and photographer Gerard Malanga created a fake Andy Warhol version & sold it to a gallery in Rome.
When Warhol heard of the fraud, he "authenticated" the fake, provided that all money from sales went to him
Banksy made a version with Fidel Castro wearing the Che t-shirt. @banksy
The next person in this story is Shepard Fairey @OBEYGIANT on twitter.
He was inspired by Che's print and created "Progress
Progress is the lesser known cousin of "Hope" that you're all familiar with. It was used by the @BarackObama campaign.
"I would like to thank you for using your talent in support of my campaign. The political messages involved in your work have encouraged Americans to believe they can change the status-quo."
(continued)
"Your images have a profound effect on people, whether seen in a gallery or on a stop sign. I am privileged to be a part of your artwork and proud to have your support. I wish you continued success and creativity." – Barack Obama, February 22, 2008
Now, a bit of self promotion!
We @IWTKQuiz decided that our logo & art work would be inspired by Shepard Fairey's "Hope" poster.
All the colours you across all visual identity is based on the same colours.
We try using these colours as much as possible.
History continues to fascinate us.
Who'd have imagined that funeral protests from 60 years ago would take such a route, featuring Fidel Castro, Che Guevara,Simone de Beauvour, Jean Paul Sartre, Jim Fitzpatrick, Shepard Fairey, Barack Obama & end with our dear leader @sai_ganesh
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Back in 1971 when the nation was formed, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, considered the leader of the freedom movement, was not in the country - he was in jail in Pakistan.
And it was a former lover of Bhutto who was able to secure his release.
A love story 🧵
In 1971 Pakistan's armed forces laid down their arms at a ceremony in Dhaka before the joint command of the Indian armed forces and Bangladesh's Mukti Bahini.
As the two armed forces were celebrating their victory, Mrs Indira Gandhi had other things to worry about.
1. The enormous cost of the war 2. The cost of dealing with over 10M refugees 3. The un-budgeted responsibility of having to look after the 93,000 Pakistani soldiers taken as POWs.
India wanted to keep the POW's in conditions that went above and beyond Geneva norms.
A school-going kid once visited the Congress party office, where Tamil lyricist Kavirajar Kannadasan asked, "Would you like to work in films, child?" The kid said, "Ask my father."
This child was destined to become one of India's greatest superstars!
A thread on Sridevi! 🧵
It is said that when Sridevi was born, there was a bright red mark on her forehead, and hence people started that a devi had born in the house.
Thus she was named Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan.
Before ruling the box office as a leading star, Sridevi was a phenomenally accomplished child artist.
Here she is, sharing the screen with MG Ramachandran, playing his nephew in a film that also starred J. Jayalalitha!
This film, starring Supriya Pathak & Hugh Grant, is based on a novel by Mircea Eliade.
Its the story of a 23-year-old Mircea who came to Calcutta to study under philosopher Surendranath Dasgupta.
There, he fell in love with Maitreyi - teacher's daughter.
Sounds familiar? A 🧵
In this novel, Mircea fictionalizes how his love story was cut short because Surendranath Dasgupta was unhappy about the relationship. The relationship was "exposed" by Maitreyi Devi's sister.
The novel was published in 1933, a couple of years after Mircea's time in Calcutta.
For some additional context, Maitreyi was a savant! Maitreyi was mentored by Rabindranath Tagore, and she even wrote a book Mongpute Rabindranath (Tagore by The Fire Side) about the time spent with the great poet.
20 years ago, we were reminded that good films need not make money, & films that make good money need not be great!
On June 18, 2004, Lakshya was released, telling the story of an aimless rich youngster who joins the Indian Army & discovers his true goal.
A thread🧵
Lakshya was written by @Javedakhtarjadu: He was told by senior army officers about the declining enrollments to the Indian army each year, prompting him to promise to write a film addressing the issue!
The script marked Akthar's comeback as a scriptwriter after ages!
Lakshya was a departure from the kinds of war movies made at the time like Border, LOC Kargil etc.
In fact, director @FarOutAkhtar's goal was to tell a story about a boy who finds himself in the backdrop of Kargil War.
On June 15, 2001, the world saw the release of a monumental film in scale & vision, with its main plot revolving around a cricket match between India & the British Empire!
A thread 🧵on Lagaan, the film that convinced Aamir Khan to pursue the kind of films he believed in.
After two failed attempts at films, @AshGowariker's confidence was low.
He then conceived a story where a key battle is resolved by a cricket match. He pitched this to Aamir in 4 lines, who told him not to waste time on this.
Lagaan was @AshGowariker’s third foray into direction after his earlier two movies – Pehla Nasha and Baazi.
Baazi is famous for the “Item number” by Aamir Khan. Pehla Nasha had Aamir and SRK in the same movie with some cringe worthy puns
This is freedom fighter Raj Narain, who achieved the greatest electoral upset in India's history.
In the 1977 elections held after the lifting of the Emergency, Raj Narain defeated Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
A thread 🧵
The story begins with the 1971 election.
Originally scheduled for 1972, Indira Gandhi called for early elections, catching opposition by surprise.
The opposition quickly recovered and nominated Raj Narain to contest against Mrs. Gandhi in Rae Bareli.
📸 @htTweets
Indira Gandhi was probably displeased with the nomination.
At a campaign rally she said, "Mr. Narain had been chosen by the opposition parties to contest from Rae Bareli because he was a well-known Nehru hater and baiter."