G a l l e r y

DOM NASCHOKINA

Vorotnivsky lane, 12

 In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution victory

 P r e s e n t s

June 17th 2009

 Exhibition-sensation about legendary Ernesto Che Guevara

 
CHE. Hasta siempre!

 Short annotation about the exhibition:

The life of the legendary commandant in pictures by contemporary photographers and home  movies.  Unique chronicle of the revolutionary years, documentary videos, memories and letters of the brother-in-arms. Also materials about the life of Che Guevara produced after his death including paintings, posters, musical productions and movies.  This huge exhibition was prepared with the collaboration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Russian Embassy in Cuba.

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During the period of his life Che Guevara gained a magical aura; this aura did not become tarnished even after his death, concerning many people who never knew him personally. In some villages of Latin America people show as a holy relic one piece of his hair, or trousers stained by blood.  Even peasants of the Bolivian village of Kochabamba composed an original litany, a  strange sort of prayer: "Poor Che, ????, create a miracle, do everything to cure my cow.  Execute my request poor Che."

Interestingly, when they carried the dead body of Che, tied to the carrier of an helicopter to La-Igeri in Val Grande, wind streams opened his eyes and no one was able to close them.

The soldiers who killed the commandant made a serious mistake – they hoped that they would  banish the spirit of the rebellious Che.  The first days after the death of the revolutionary they tried to prove without a doubt that he was dead, presenting to the world the frightening picture of the corpse.  But instead, just as Christians traditionally worship the tortured Christ, this photograph inevitably led to a defined system of association: martyrdom, expiation, and resurrection.  Maybe the image of Che became forever enveloped by the romantic halo of the fight for the sake of saving people, the sake of their personal freedom and independence.

The exhibition in the "Dom Naschokina" corresponds to the date of the celebration of the Cuban revolution this year.

Natalia Ryurikova, director of the gallery, organizer of the exhibition:

"- We chose that subject no only because Che Guevara was a huge historical personality and the most famous revolutionary of the planet, but also because after a period of many decades following his death, people around the world continue to think, to talk, and argue about him.  Poets make verses, artists make painting, sculptors create monuments, producers make films, composers write music.  And all inspired by him, Che!

So many documents and items were collected that we had to open the second room of the gallery especially for the rare objects.

Fidel Castro said that in the last years he often saw Che in his dreams. He admitted to the Italian journalist Janni Mine that it meant a lot to him.

The exhibition "Che. Hasta siempre!" which runs from June 17th has a lot to tell to Russian visitors.  Don't miss this unique national cultural event.

The exhibition will be on until September 2009.

at Vorotnikovsky lane, 12

Gallery “Dom Naschokina”

Phone: 699-11-78, 699-47-74

Price of the tickets 200 and 100 rub.