Sunday, 7 October 2012

IF Mirror



                                                 

                                                                  Size: 50 x 60 cms
                                                                  Media: oil on canvas
                                                                  Pens: paintbrushes


I painted this in 2005. It doesn't probably require any explanation as it is an artwork made from the well known iconic photograph of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, the Argentine Marxist revolutionary. It does however fit this weeks Illustration Friday theme, 'Mirror'....because of an error that I made whilst doing the pre drawing layout with the 'grid method' on tracing paper, he is painted as a mirror image.. I still see the Spanish buyer occasionally and I haven't actually mentioned it, although he still tells me he loves the painting. If he ever questions me, I will tell him it was a pre planned decision to make the icon my own and not the same as everybody else's...t shirts, lighters, posters etc etc.
I don't usually post old work but this is also appropriate as 'Che' died almost 45 years ago to the day on 9th October 1967.

edit: I just googled this image and it seems that I am not the only person to have used this image in reverse..although the majority use it the other way!
                                                                   
                                                 
Posted by Rod MacGregor at 15:05
Labels: , , ,

9 comments:

  1. roberto M.7 October 2012 at 15:54

    Hey, Rod, do you know one thing?, El Che (we say El Che)was born in a town called Rosario which is about 400 Km. from my home. but he lived many years here in the mountains because he had asthma, and doctors told him that he should live in a dry climate, (he was medical doctor) that house is now a museum, and is about 30 km from here.
    Do you know why they called Che? because we, all Argentines say Che, when we want to say "hey, you" :))
    A hug my friend!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rod MacGregor7 October 2012 at 18:15

    wow, thats interesting...he must have been near you at some time. In Spain, quite a few people use "che" in the same way...Un abrazo

    ReplyDelete
  3. roberto M.7 October 2012 at 20:11

    Hombre yo no soy tan viejo como sería el Che Guevara jaja. cuando él murió en Bolivia, yo era un adolescente que escuchaba a The Beatles :)))))))))))) ♫ ♫ Yeah Yeah Yeah
    No, no, el decir "Che" es exclusivo de los argentinos, seguramente.
    Buena semana hombreeeeeeeeeeemañana aquí es día feriado, pues es el aniverasario de el descubrimiento de América!!! (Assuming that Colón discovered America) Un abrazo!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sasa Saastamoinen8 October 2012 at 17:37

    Wow, this is something completely different from you! Funny, the mirror image does look different in some strange way though I wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't mentioned it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rod MacGregor9 October 2012 at 19:09

      I think that's interesting...I don't think people notice although its one of the most famous images around. It almost makes me want to paint the Mona Lisa with a strange slant that's not noticed...only almost though.

      Delete
  5. roberto M.9 October 2012 at 13:03

    Hey Rod tengo que pedirte disculpas, yo hablé y hablé, y hablé, but I do not told you how well done that painting is, Excellent!!!! you've managed to paint the eyes with the natural expression!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rod MacGregor9 October 2012 at 19:05

      Thanks Roberto...I think I'll have to paint this again...its actually full of mistakes and I shouldn't have sold it!

      Delete
  6. Claire Wildish10 October 2012 at 07:07

    Where is Gerard??!! Is he hiding in there somewhere? Seriously though, great painting!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Richard Ewing10 October 2012 at 15:54

    ...but
    perhaps the cat is now out of the bag...
    Your Spanish buyer, if he's a devotee of your art, perhaps he follows your blog? Perhaps he is a Gerard aficionado, and now cannot see the art in the same way anymore...
    with time he may start to call it a portrait of Ehc...

    best to tell the buyer personally, methinks.

    I like the occasional out of focus areas, adds a nice bit of depth

    ReplyDelete

Thanks Guys!!

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