The Parker & Neal Mola Collection - Part 1
Lot 86:
Description
Panama (Guna Yala), circa 1960s
14 x 15 inches
Worked in three layers of reverse appliqué with appliqué and embroidery accents on a black ground. Pictorial composition depicting imagery adapted from commercial packaging, featuring a stylized bird with a leaf-detailed wing at left, derived from Pingüino brand match box imagery, and a standing figure wearing a hat and carrying objects at right, referencing the Kool cigarettes brand. A large banner scroll across the upper register bears polychrome appliquéd illegible text with additional scattered letters and numbers throughout the field. This reflects the Guna practice of using text phonetically and aesthetically, not always as a true representation of traditional words. Polychrome striped bars fill the background. Geometric maze and zigzag border motifs frame the composition. Consistent hand-stitching with embroidery accents throughout. A compelling example of the Guna tradition of incorporating observed commercial imagery into the mola format, reinterpreting foreign brand iconography through an indigenous visual language. A similar photo of this mola can be found on page 234 of MOLAS Folk Art of the Cuna Indians by Parker and Neal.
Provenance: From the Parker & Neal Collection.
Condition report:
Age related wear consistent with usage, fading and discoloration visible as well. 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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