The Surrealist Art of the Kuna

The Surrealist Art of the Kuna by Desmond Morris
Published by Dark Windows Press, 2020
A limited edition of 100 signed and numbered copies
 
The Kuna Indians of Panama are one of the last tribal societies on the planet to retain their independence and their artistic traditions. For centuries, they have resisted all attempts to modernize their world and have been ruthless in their determination to isolate themselves. The women still wear their tribal costumes and on the chest there is a rectangular decorative panel called a mola. It is the imaginative, artistic quality of these molas that has made such an impact, internationally, in recent years. They are more like original paintings than mere costume decoration, and their imagery is so bizarre that they can justifiably be called natural surrealist works of art. This book presents a selection of some of the strangest.