Barrio Escalante, San José

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La Gatita, by Leda Astorga. Cheekiness and bodily ease command this figure from the very first glance.
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Leda Astorga

La GatitaInquire about availability

Year
2018
Technique
Papier-Mâché
Dimensions
60 × 38 cm
Status
Inquire about availability
Palette
chalk white, crimson, warm orange, turquoise blue, carbon black
Brushwork
Paper pulp modeling with a granular, rough surface, polychromed freehand

Curatorial analysis

Cheekiness and bodily ease command this figure from the very first glance. With one arm raised high, the other paw firmly planted on its hip, and its legs crossed in a suspended dance step, the sculpture turns a rotund and seemingly heavy mass into pure dynamism. There is a deliberate grace in this curvaceous silhouette that defies gravity on a single supporting limb, projecting a festive and theatrical air that disarms any pretense of solemnity.

The papier-mâché pulp makes no attempt to disguise or smooth itself. On the contrary, the material retains a dense, porous graininess that catches the light in thousands of minute shadows, lending the character's skin an almost organic tactile quality. Against this chalky white speckled with earthy nuances, two striking chromatic accents burst forth: the orange flowers serving as an implied top and the crimson skirt dotted with small white florets. The vibrant, synthetic palette dialogues with a popular spirit reminiscent of vaudeville and carnival.

The face concentrates a magnetic psychological weight. Almond-shaped eyes of brilliant blue, defined by graphic black lining, lock gaze directly onto the viewer with a blend of seduction, cunning, and conspiratorial mischief. Rather than infantalizing the device of animal fable, this feline humanization operates as a playful mirror of sensuality, bodily self-enjoyment, and unapologetic coquetry.

The piece thus stands as a celebration of bold irreverence: a miniature cabaret queen sculpted in paper that, balanced barely on the tips of its claws, transforms the apparent roughness of the medium into pure scenic lightness.

La Gatita

More works by Leda Astorga

15 works

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View all 15 works by Leda Astorga

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