The Parker & Neal Mola Collection - Part 1
Lot 21:
Description
Panama (Guna Yala), circa 1970s
16 × 21 inches
An extraordinary political mola panel worked in three layers of reverse appliqué, appliqué, and embroidery featuring explicit partisan text and iconography related to Panamanian electoral politics. The composition demonstrates the Guna tradition of documenting contemporary political events through textile art, transforming democratic participation and party affiliation into bold visual statements that circulate within both Guna and broader Panamanian society.
The central medallion contains a large stylized bull figure rendered in black with multicolored embroidered stripes creating decorative fill patterns throughout the body. The bull’s body is filled with horizontal rows of reverse applique dashes in orange, white, pink, blue, turquoise, and green, creating a rhythmic striped effect that suggests either the decorative patterning of ceremonial cattle or the visual representation of strength and agricultural prosperity. A white starburst or sun motif appears at the bull’s eye, possibly representing enlightenment, national spirit, or political awakening. The head features distinctive coloring with geometric patterns and appears to show horns or ears, lending the bull heraldic character appropriate to political symbolism. Bulls have long served as symbols of strength, determination, and populist power in Latin American political iconography.
Encircling this central bull are multiple concentric bands containing text in large appliqué letterforms. Reading from the center outward, the text spells “PARTIDO RENOVADOR PANAMEÑO ESTA INSIGNIA” (Panamanian Renewal Party This Insignia/Badge). Each letter is individually outlined in contrasting colors—black, yellow, red, blue, pink, and green—creating a carnival-like or campaign poster aesthetic that catches the eye and announces political affiliation boldly. The Panamanian Renewal Party (Partido Renovador Panameño) was a political movement active in Panamanian politics during the 1970s and 1980s.
Additional text appears along the top border reading “IKUADIEKEPIDILIMARTINEZ” which appears to be a Guna language phrase or personal name, possibly identifying “Martinez” as a political candidate. This bilingual text integration demonstrates the complex linguistic landscape of Guna Yala where Guna language, Spanish, and hybrid forms coexist and interact.
The four corners of the composition feature human figures and stylized cattle-like animals rendered in profile with segmented bodies filled with vertical line embroidery. These corner animals echo the central bull motif, creating a unified bovine or agricultural theme that reinforces associations between the political party and rural economic interests, agricultural prosperity, or populist strength. Additional geometric house or building forms appear in the lower corners, possibly representing political headquarters, voting stations, or community meeting houses where political organizing occurred.
The background field is activated with vertical line embroidery in multiple colors creating striped patterns across the entire red ground. This dense embroidery work transforms the negative space into an energetic field suggesting the excitement and mobilization of political campaigns. Orange decorative trim frames the top edge, providing final flourish to this already exuberant composition.
The three-layer construction creates depth through color reveals, particularly visible in the text bands and bull figure. The extensive embroidery throughout—with hundreds of individual stitches creating the striped body patterns and background details—demonstrates exceptional dedication to the project. The bold color palette dominated by red and pink grounds with black, orange, yellow, blue, and green accents creates vibrant visual impact appropriate to campaign materials designed to attract attention and inspire partisan feeling.
This piece exemplifies a fascinating but understudied genre of Guna political molas created during periods of heightened electoral activity in Panama. These textiles served multiple functions: they announced party affiliation, functioned as wearable campaign materials, documented Indigenous participation in national politics, and asserted Guna presence in Panamanian civic life. The use of the bull as central symbol connects the political message to broader Latin American traditions of using powerful animal imagery in populist political movements. The creation of political molas demonstrates the Guna community’s strategic engagement with national political structures while maintaining distinctively Indigenous modes of visual communication and cultural production.
Worked on deep red cotton ground with layers in black, pink, orange, yellow, green, blue, turquoise, and white. Three layers with exceptionally dense hand-stitching and embroidery throughout. Complex text-based appliqué and extensive linear embroidery creating activated background. Strong circular composition integrating text, heraldic bull, and decorative corner elements.
Single panel on red cotton ground with purple backing visible. Purple decorative trim at bottom edge.
This piece exemplifies the documentary, participatory, and identity-affirming functions of Guna mola art, demonstrating the creative adaptation of textile traditions to serve contemporary political communication and Indigenous assertion of citizenship rights within the Panamanian nation-state.
Provenance: From the Parker & Neal Collection
Condition report:
Minor wear and fading consistent with age. In house Flat Rate US Shipping of $15 for 1 -10 molas, $5 each additional 10 molas. Insurance is additional and required.
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