Welcome to Episode 11 of Pattern Portraits!

Lauren Godfrey chats with artist and filmmaker Michelle Williams Gamaker about costume as a nonverbal communicator in film, pattern stopping her in her tracks and the double echo of intergenerational clothes swapping.

Michelle is an artist known for her ambitious films that enact fictional revenge, placing marginalised voices at the centre of the narrative. Her epic film work ‘Theives’ was presented at South London Gallery in 2023, Dundee Contemporary Arts and Bluecoat in Liverpool in 2024. Michelle’s work responds to films watched during childhood, unpacked and seen anew over time, which raise important conversations about race, representation, identity and agency. Michelle’s work has won many awards including jointly winning the Jarman Award in 2020.

Pattern and colour are intrinsic in her world from costumes and sets to the clothes Michelle wears herself. A pair of her striped boots have even been immortalised in the work of another artist, Madeline Pledge who I am also interviewing this season!

Michelle has chosen some very special patterns, a polkadot and houndstooth from C&A passed down from her mum, a Kantha quilt kimono and Shalwar kameez adapted for wearing at her exhibition opening, a satin dress thrifted in Amsterdam and my personal favourite, an epic Paisley crossed with tiger print shirt by Pencaldi and B!

You can see all of Michelle's patterns and more on instagram @patternportraitspodcast

The PATTERN PORTRAIT print artwork to accompany Michelle’s interview and featuring the patterns we discuss is available to buy now at www.laurengodfrey.co.uk

https://www.instagram.com/m.williams.gamaker/

References:

Thief of Baghdad 1940 - produced by Alexander Korda and directed by Michael Powell, Ludwig Berger and Tim Whelan, with additional contributions by William Cameron Menzies and Korda brothers Vincent and Zoltán.

The Thief of Bagdad 1924 - directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Douglas Fairbanks.

Anna May Wong

Sabu

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