About this web site

The molas presented here, often reside in private collections, collectively form a source of this unique art normally not publically available. For over a hundred years many families living in the Republic of Panama and the canal area collected mola textile art. This web site attempts to hunt down and present high resolution images of a number of these collections with the hope that the contents will inspire the current generation of mola makes, researchers and the public who appreciates the unique and visually stunning art form represented by these historical molas. It also makes high resolution images of molas available to the public that might lay hidden in private collections.

About the collections
Most of the mola images in the web site represent molas that were collected in the 1960s, 1970s or 1980s. Often the molas were purchased directly from Guna women. Residents in the canal area often had personal and long-term relationships with Guna families so an exchange of mola art was inevitable. Families have maintained these molas as family heirlooms and have graciously provided images of the molas for use in this web site.

How to view a high-resolution image of a mola

In the galleries, it is possible to view a high-resolution image of any mola. Just click on the mola in the gallery you wish to view. Then you will notice a little “i” with a circle around it in the lower right corner. This is the “i” for more information and when you click on the “i” you will see the mola’s information or description. You will also see a little box with a diagonal arrow in it along with the caption “View full size” right below and to the left of the description. When you click on this button you will get a full size image of the mola. If you see a plus tool as mouse cursor, you can click again (with the plus tool) and the mola will zoom in even further on the mola image.

Intellectual Property rights
The high resolution mola images and other resources are provided “as is” for non-commercial use. Anyone who uses the images for a non-commercial use such as research, education or other similar activity are requested to give credit to this web site for providing the materials and to designate the materials as associated with Guna culture.

The images found on this website are from numerous collections. Anyone interested in commercial use(s) of these images must contact the individual owner(s).

About US
The site developers are members of families that grew up in Panama who share a lifelong interest in mola textile art and indigenous cultures of Panama.

Point of Contact
POC email: harp@trail2.com Don’t hesitate to contact us if we can be of any assistance or if you have any comments or observations.

Dedication

This web site is dedicated to the many generations of Guna women who fabricate the stunning textile art of molas with such great skill and creativity. The Guna woman’s ability to transform an image that she sees or imagines into iconic art, worn as blouse panels, represents a highly evolved visual aesthetic and social grammar. Molas tells endless stories of life … whether they be traditional myths; shimmering geometric designs; natural motifs of ocean, sky, and rainforest; or designs derived from commercial advertisements. We honor their tradition by making these images of historical and contemporary mola art available to researchers, educators, and the public. May the display also provide inspiration for current generations of mola artists.

We also dedicate the site to those mola collectors that have for generations purchased mola art for its vibrant beauty and sophisticated, lyrical, designs. These collectors often have personal relationships with Guna families. They have, over the years, helped ensure that this unique art form stays very much alive in today’s world where many authentic indigenous art forms have been lost. One cannot help but marvel at the incredible range of human imagination and vibrant aesthetics expressed in Guna textile art.

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all the families that have donated images of their mola collections to the web site. Thomas Hannaher and Sue Gomez graciously made the images of their very significant collections available. The Barkowitz, Jenkins and Harp families, long time friends, collaborated to make the site possible and provided their family collections.