The Panamanian Mola  -stitched layers of fabric that illustrate a narrative when finished- was the centre of inspiration for this work, and it helped set the components that would take part in the finished piece. 

As part of an investigation of materials, the tile-making process consisted of two significant tests. It required fabric-making experimentation with natural elements such as grass, and natural dyes. This exploration of materials resulted in creating paper sheets that were strong enough to hold the stitching, but also thin enough to resemble the delicacy of conventional fabric. 

The other side of the experimentation phase was conducted towards ordinary clay tiles. Here, the aim was to echo the appearance of Panamanian soil. One rich in iron, and noticeable for its red colour. To obtain this, adding red and orange iron oxide to local dark soil became the central aspect of the test while also contemplating the characteristics of regular clay to make sure those were implemented in my own.

The final product holds the result from both experiments. They encompass the stitching of the “fabric” and the weight of Panamanian “land”, all in a tile design that encaptures Panama and its cultural diversity.