Laura LimaChupa Cabra, 2023
‘Chupa Cabra’ draws on the mythical creature from folklore across the Americas, known for its reported attacks on livestock, particularly goats. The name, meaning “goat sucker,” refers to its supposed vampiric behaviour, feeding on the blood of animals under the cover of night. Often described in conflicting accounts, the Chupa Cabra occupies a space between fear and fascination, its form shifting across stories and geographies.
In Laura Lima’s interpretation, the creature is evoked through a richly layered construction of raw cotton threads dyed with a wide array of natural pigments including black acacia, beetroot, coffee, tobacco, red wine, and indigo, combined with steel wire. The resulting work carries a sense of suspended tension and restless energy, suggesting a presence that is both material and elusive. As with much of Lima’s practice, Chupa Cabra resists easy definition, inviting viewers into a space shaped by uncertainty, transformation, and the quiet persistence of myth.
