An Andean Condor Bird Spreading Rainbow Wings Panama Mola

An Andean Condor Bird Spreading Rainbow Wings Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. The condor opens its wings right across the panel, each one filled with long stripes so the whole bird reads as one great arc, with a tiny cross stitched in for a face and the tail running straight down the center. It has the lift of something about to leave the ground, and you feel your shoulders rise with it. At 16.5 inches wide and 12 inches high it frames into a strong, balanced piece. Wonderful above a desk, a stairway landing, or anywhere you want a sense of open sky.

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"
SKU: PM2129T