Seeking inspiration in our roots

17 Jan Seeking inspiration in our roots

In our search for inspiration around the globe, we visited the Museo del Oro, in Bogota, Colombia. The museum’s permanent exhibition features the history and symbolism of goldsmithing and metal work in the pre columbine societies, a topic highly relevant to our new project in the making (stay tuned!).

During our visit, we were positively surprised and particularly inspired by the explosion of colour and high level of craftsmanship displayed in temporary exhibition titled “Molas. Layers of Wisdom”.

The Mola is a craft made from layers of textile original to the Gunadule people, an indigenous group living in the caribbean coast of Panama and Colombia (basically in paradise!).

We were happy to learn, that like OMG Florence!, the Gunadule is a community powered by girls. Women are the makers of the molas and the custodians of the extraordinary and complex technique of reverse appliqué, which grants them economic independence and a central role in the community.

Each mola design, figurative or geometric, has a meaning or protective power and women wear on their chest, sewn to their blouses. These shapes and colours have been and will continue to be an endless source of inspiration for many designers and artists.

On a curious note, we found out that even Gunadule women are in a way “fashion victims!” They they like to wear a new mola for every celebration and will wear the same mola twice at most before selling it.

“Molas. Layers of Wisdom” exhibition is on until the 17th of June 2017 at Museo del Oro, Bogotà, Colombia.

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