Six Bright Goblets Holding Spiral Crosses Panama Mola

Six Bright Goblets Holding Spiral Crosses Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Six goblets stand in two rows, each cup holding a four armed cross of squared spirals, and the dark ground between them lets the design read as a row of little trees just as easily as a shelf of cups. Your eye keeps flipping between the two readings, which makes it a surprisingly restful thing to stare at. It measures 16.5 inches wide and 12.5 inches high, roomy enough to hold its own in a frame on a bigger wall. Put it above a sideboard or a bar cart in the dining room.

Molas are built by stacking several layers of colored cotton, then cutting down through one layer at a time so the colors underneath show through, and turning every raw edge under and stitching it closed by hand. The technique is called reverse appliqué, and a good panel is judged by how fine the stitches are and how many layers deep the cutting goes. This one came from Guna Yala, the San Blas islands off Panama's Caribbean coast, where the designs draw on the birds, fish, plants and geometric patterns of the islands and rainforest. It is ready to frame, mount, or sew into a pillow or a quilt panel, and no two are ever alike.

Founded in 1991, TraderBrock celebrates the handcraft of Latin America's indigenous peoples. Every piece comes from Guna, Wounaan and Emberá artisans we know by name, and all profits are reinvested in their communities for education, tools and the teaching of ancestral techniques. Buying from TraderBrock helps keep their culture and their traditions alive.

Width: 16.5"
Height: 12.5"
SKU: PM2671T