Amalia Ulman Will Always Dress Twee

In Amalia Ulman’s new film, Magic Farm, the acid vegetables and electrical blues of rural Argentina are rudely interrupted through a bumbling American media workforce searching for clickbait. Written and directed through Ulman, the film—which opens in make a selection New York City theaters nowadays—stars Chloë Sevigny because the chief of the Vice-like staff attempting to find a viral video. Her persona is ignorant sufficient to wander down a mud highway in Maison Margiela Tabis.

From Ulman’s 2014 efficiency artwork piece Excellences & Perfections—through which she performed an aspiring It-girl on Instagram—to her 2021 directorial debut El Planeta, the artist has persistently used style as a story device. On the set of Magic Farm, when she wasn’t enjoying Elena, the workforce’s interpreter, Ulman directed in equestrian tools. “I started riding horses because I felt very ashamed that, as an Argentinian, I had no idea how to approach a horse,” she explains. “On set, it was a way to get closer to the environment and to differentiate myself from the character.” Below, Ulman discusses the entirety from apprenticing as a clown on the age of 13 to her pleasure over the comeback of twee taste.

You regularly use bits of your actual existence on your artwork. Have any of your characters’ kinds influenced the best way you get dressed?

Once I end capturing a movie, I’m so in poor health of the themes, I’m like, “I’m not wearing that ever again.” George Costanza says in Seinfeld that he attire according to temper, and I utterly relate to that. I’ve to select at the present time. That’s why I battle with purple carpets as a result of typically you propose forward. I hate that.

How did you manner the costumes for Magic Farm?

Good dress design is set including to the tale as a substitute of distracting. The concept of Chloë [Sevigny] strolling round in her Tabis at the grime highway—I assumed [that] was once lovely iconic and humorous. It simply presentations how indifferent they’re. Personally, after I trip, I am going in detective mode. I do not wish to be noticed. I tone the entirety down so much so I do not glance international. I imitate the manner of where up to conceivable. But the vibe of those Americans is that they do not thoughts status out.

The movie culminates with the workforce inventing an area cult whose individuals put on ginormous bows. How did you get a hold of their costumes?

I used to be looking for one thing that was once random however to be had on the market any place, even on this village. The concept comes from when I used to be in Beijing in 2015. On this primary side road, everyone, of every age, was once dressed in a plastic sprout on their head. They had been being bought in the street for tremendous affordable. I requested folks, “What’s going on? Is this some cultural thing that I don’t understand?” And no one knew why they had been doing it. The solution was once, “Oh, it’s cute. Why not?” So I purchased one myself and wore it.

Do you be mindful your first giant acquire?

I went to the Miu Miu retailer on the [Hong Kong] airport and attempted on those silver Mary Janes that I beloved. I did the cost conversion on my telephone and idea they had been $500, so I used to be k with it. But after I went to pay, it was once like double! I used to be too shy to switch my thoughts and say no. And then I felt so nauseous. I used to be like, Oh fuck.

What was once a work of favor recommendation that’s caught with you?

The easiest recommendation got here from an average ex, which was once that I do not know my dimension. I purchased very giant garments for some reason why. I had no sense of dimension. He instructed me to visit a tailor, to vary garments to suit me, and I used to be like, “Okay, you’re right.” I feel it’s as a result of I by no means like dressed in tight garments — I don’t like the way it feels.

Can you inform me about your taste evolution from highschool to now?

Not a lot has modified since highschool. I had actually excellent taste, to be fair. I’ve been taking part in this complete twee revival, as a result of that is what I’m excellent at. Most of my garments are Miu Miu and Prada. I’ve numerous Mary Janes and kitten heels, midi skirts and cardigans. That’s my taste, and that is the reason what I might put on when I used to be an adolescent.

Those are garments that I put on after I move out. When I’m in my group, I get dressed like shit. I put on denims and a white tank best and I’m lined in dust as a result of I’ve been wrestling with my canine, Variety Magazine, within the park. So the ones are my two aspects.

As a teen you educated to be a clown, proper?

I used to be a clown apprentice in my teenagers. I used to be obsessive about those clowns that had been traveling round. I kind of interned for them and discovered to juggle and no matter. My dream was once to visit Paris’s well-known clown faculty. I by no means did.

Did you put on a clown dress?

No. They had been punk clowns.

What does that seem like?

In Spain, they name them perroflauta, which accurately approach “dog flute,” as a result of they typically have a canine and a flute. I assume within the U.S., they are like crust punks.

So had been you dressing like a crust punk?

As a lot as I may, being a 13-year-old. But I used to be placing out with numerous punk bros—very socialist, communist, very severe. I realized that they had been very homophobic and misogynistic. And I used to be like, “You know what, I like fashion too much.” So I began placing out extra with indie twee youngsters and in environments that had been far more queer pleasant. They appreciated to make their very own garments, and be loopy and put on wigs. And I used to be like, I love wigs. I’ll move anyplace I will be able to put on a wig.