A Downcast Visitor From Outer Space Panama Mola

A Downcast Visitor From Outer Space Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. The visitor sits square in the middle wearing a domed helmet, his arms splayed and his body speckled with tiny flecks, with an expression that can only be called glum. You will want to cheer him up, and somehow looking at him cheers you up instead. The panel is 16 inches wide and 12.5 inches high, a fun size for a frame or a pillow in a kid's room. Put it in a science lover's study, a game room or anywhere that could use a laugh.

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"
Height: 12.5"
SKU: PM2521T