February 19, 2006

Take a Walk on the Mild Side: The Chupacabras

Well, to start off with, and Loren will be steamed about this, this exhibit is titled "The Chupacabra Chronicles", not Chupacabras, but Chupacabra.

This isn’t your father’s Chupacabras. Apparently he’s not out marauding local livestock, sucking the blood out of every goat in sight. Nay, this is a kinder, gentler Chupacabras.

Artist and college professor Carlos G. Gómez’s collection of original artwork, "The Chupacabra Chronicles" is opening February 21st at the  Richardson Art Gallery at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, running through March 23, 2006.

Gómez has an interesting interpretation of the Chupacabras. In his artwork, they appear to be man-like.

In Carlos G. Gómez’s mind, the Chupacabra is a lonely creature with human characteristics; a being shaped by environment and society.

Gómez paints white, red, green and dark-colored Chupacabras. There are twin Chupacabras, the Wanderer, the Thinker, the Juan Diego Chupacabra and the Chupacabra Van Gogh to name a few.

“They come in all sizes and colors. They are just not understood,” Gómez said.

“I always see Chupacabras as us Mexicans — misunderstood. … It’s a metaphor for Chicanos. That was the basis for the idea,” Gómez said.

This piece resembles a Bedouin.

Gómez’s vision of the Chupacabras is radically different than how it is normally portrayed, a mysterious, blood-sucking creature.

Press Release for the gallery showing.

Maybe people are ready for the kinder, gentler Chupacabras…but I’m not!

Filed under Bigfoot Report, Chupacabras, Cryptotourism, Cryptozoology, Folklore, Media Appearances, Pop Culture