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Iconic Magnum photographer René Burri who captured Che Guevara dies at the age of 81
"With René Burri the world of photography loses one of its most powerful artists, a true humanist, who skillfully documented from behind the scenes the suffering and joy of human kind."
The Swiss photographer, born in Zurich in 1933, began work with the venerable photo agency in 1955 and became a full member in 1959. While Burri is best known for his portraits of Che Guevara and Pablo Picasso, his lifetime of largely black-and-white work reveals a talent for reacting quickly, capturing street scenes and moments that transcend time. The photographer attributed such nimbleness to growing up on his grandfather's farm, trying to catch flies in his hands.
In a 2010 interview with The Guardian, Burri tells the story of how his Che Guevara portrait, photographed in Havana in 1963, came to be. It was a harried, three-hour session and the young revolutionary never once looked at Burri, who danced around him in the small, dimly lit office. Modest about his talents, Burri said the final, iconic shot was thanks to the man in front of the lens, not the one behind the camera.
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Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Lauren Hansen produces The Week’s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.
