Kuna Mola 1960s - Kit Kapp Collection - Gorgeous abstract "medicine stick"

Description

This mola has a great sense of movement to it. The artist selected an excellent piece of patterned fabric for one of the background layers and it makes the whole piece seem to vibrate. This design is worthy of a modern art museum, the artist showed sensibilities for abstract design that is not often seen in Kuna molas. This piece represents a series of medicine sticks that would be used in Kuna ceremonies. 20w x16h
The Kit Kapp Collection.
Kit Kapp was a cartographer who was hired to map the San Blas Islands in 1960. He quickly fell in love with the Kuna people and their art, and organized numerous lengthy expeditions to the islands over an 11 year period where he purchased thousands of molas and hundreds of Kuna nuchu carvings, as well as jewelry, basketry and other artifacts. In 1972 he published the seminal book
Mola Art of the San Blas Islands,
which is still one of the best reference books on the subject. Kit died in 2014. Between 1999 and 2016 we purchased the entire remainder of the Kapp Kuna collection.