Saturday, February 18, 2012

More Panamanian molas, incredible textile art


Here are some more examples of the multi-layered Panamanian molas that Ana loves so. (The first installment is here.) No matter what planet one is from, anyone with an eye for color and design will be understandably struck by these gorgeous works of art.

Ana particularly loves the zest for life embodied in these works (and in the arpilleras and other Latin-American art elsewhere on her blog). Many reveal a fascination for human, animal, and plant forms--art that springs from nature, in other words. Some may dismiss it as "folk art," but to Ana, whose ancestors on Thomo barely survived hard times, there is no more precious, more cherished, force in the world than life itself.

Above is a mola turned into a lined vest by someone who labeled it for sale. This is not typical of most molas, which generally seem not to have been created with commercial purposes in mind. Below are more typical examples of this amazing art form. (Click for more detail.) First, a jungle scene with a boat and at least five human figures:


Here are a bat, we believe, and a bird, in molas that were "repurposed" and sold after their owners felt they had fulfilled their original use:




This is one of the more extraordinary molas Ana knows of. We do not know how old this artwork is, but it's possible that the artist could have created it after having seen her first helicopter:


Here is a detail from the mola above to show the fine stitching:


Finally, here is a mola which depicts something we cannot identify. After that photo there is another of the same mola from the back, and then a detail of the back. Quilters, textile enthusiasts, and artists in general will be fascinated to examine how these unique works were created.




See more of Ana's favorite art, music, and poetry in the column to the right, under the photo of the LOVE sculpture-->

The mola, part 1





2 comments:

Lynne S. Berger said...

I have a store for over 50 years that sells textile art ... Molas from Panama. I thought you would be interested in my shop as we sell wholesale. Please enjoy my website www.florymola.com and if you have any questions do not hestiate to call Panama (507) 223 6963. I would love that you add my site to your links. Thank you Lynne Saltzman de Berger ( Flory's daughter)

Al said...

What a beautiful site you have, Señora Berger, and what gorgeous molas!

I have asked my wife to look at them, and I think she is preparing to order some. She can't resist!

Assuming the process goes smoothly I will be delighted to feature your site on Ana Darcy's blog, and even to list it as a favorite. I will even see that Ana Darcy receives one or more of your molas and report her reaction in the blog.

Thank you for contacting me, and best wishes!