Whoever Drew These Corridors Forgot The Exit Panama Mola

Whoever Drew These Corridors Forgot The Exit Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. The two dense blocks of hooks and blind corners hide just one shape that is not a corridor, a broad winged form with a spine down its middle that sits somewhere between an insect and an ornament. Your eyes will keep trying routes through it long after you meant to look away. It is 17 inches wide and 12 inches high, generous enough to anchor a wall above a sofa or a desk. It suits a study, a home office or any room where a puzzle lover spends time.

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: 17"
Height: 12"
SKU: PM3686T