This original 1980 Cuban poster was designed by Rafael Enríquez Vega for OSPAAAL, the Organization of Solidarity with the Peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America. It commemorates October 8, known as the “Day of the Heroic Guerrilla,” in tribute to Ernesto “Che” Guevara and his revolutionary legacy.
October 8 marks the final stage of Guevara’s Bolivian campaign and his capture by the Bolivian army in 1967, one day before his execution. OSPAAAL commemorated the date through numerous posters that presented Guevara as an international symbol of revolutionary commitment, resistance and solidarity among the peoples of Latin America and the wider developing world.
Enríquez places a monumental smiling portrait of Che against an intense magenta background. Smaller images of Guevara and Fidel Castro appear below, while yellow and green stars surround the figures. A golden silhouette of Latin America occupies the upper-right corner, visually connecting Guevara’s image with revolutionary movements throughout the continent.
The unusually joyful portrait distinguishes this composition from the solemn image of Che most frequently used in political graphics. His broad smile and confident expression communicate optimism and faith in revolutionary victory. The vivid colours, photographic contrasts and layered imagery reflect OSPAAAL’s distinctive fusion of political propaganda, Pop Art and modern graphic design.
Rafael Enríquez Vega was an important contributor to Cuban revolutionary graphic art and produced several posters for OSPAAAL. Printed in offset and carrying its message in Spanish, English, French and Arabic, this original poster is a compelling collector’s piece for admirers of Cuban design, political graphics, Latin American history and 20th-century Pop Art.
Original Poster
Politics - Cuba
Fidel Castro - Che Guevara
Good condition, slight folds
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