A Mola is a visually striking and culturally significant textile art form created by the Kuna indigenous people of Panama, particularly in the San Blas Islands and the Darien region. These textile panels are made by layering and cutting different pieces of fabric, typically cotton, to create beautiful and often highly detailed compositions that often function as a form of visual storytelling representing Kuna myths, traditions and the natural world.
A Fox & Chave chiffon silk scarf in vivid red with a design of stylised butterflies inspired by an appliquéd mola from Panama c.1960, courtesy of the Museum of International Folk Art. Silk Chiffon scarf measures 71″ x 20″.