The Big Chief’s “Tree of Life” apron detail from
season three features the intricate beadwork
associated with the Mardi Gras Indian ceremonial
suit tradition. Alonzo V. Wilson designed this
panel that illustrates the seasons of the year. The
detail is focused on the transition between fall
and winter. Fall symbols include the courageous
lion surrounded by leaf-like emblems. Winter
is represented by a key to the gates of heaven,
hanging on the edge of bare tree branches. In the
snow, tender blades of grass represent spring and
a new cycle of life.
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WBM july 2013
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF AARON HINES
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF AARON HINES PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALLISON POTTER
“Now we actually have a connection from the industry to the art world. Which
I hope will help people see that what we all do in film — whether you’re the
electrician or the driver or the craft service — we’re all part of this huge art form.
That is something that’s important because I have been reluctant to call myself an
artist until this exhibit. I’m a
costume designer. Yes you can
consider it an art, but when
you say what artists really do
— they actually paint or they
do something and it ends up
in a museum — this doesn’t
always happen in costume.
It’s rare. I think it is art.
Everybody in the film busi-ness,
they’re artists — they’re
lighting artists, they’re set
dressing, set decorators, set
designers — everybody is an
artist. This is the end of my
career here. That’s the plan,”
he says.
Wilson says he’s no
longer going to be a costume
designer, he wants to
produce a few films and a
series he has written.
“The thing about trying to
end something, you’re driving
along and it takes so many
feet to stop if you’re going
55 miles per hour. I think
now at the end of ‘Treme’ I’m
going like 100 miles per hour
and I want to stop doing
costumes but the braking
distance takes a little while so
in between that time I may
get a call and I may do some-thing,”
he says.
To create his series in Wilmington, all Wilson needs is somebody to buy it.
“I would so push for it to be in Wilmington,” he says. “There’s no reason it
couldn’t be filmed in Wilmington.”
As for his concept, he was hush-hush.
“It’s been a very guarded idea for the last seven years,” he says. Obviously he’s
told some people about it. “If they mention it they’re no longer with us,” he
laughs. “Let me just say this, for entertainment purposes: They’re all kinds of ele-ments
that are in a series. But the bottom line here is that we are going to touch
on different things in people’s lives, like mental illness, autism, things like that are
part of the story, so we’re trying to make it important on so many different levels
that shows don’t actually do.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALLISON POTTER
In late July, Alonzo V. Wilson will be at Cameron Art Museum conducting a private
beading workshop for 20-25 students thanks to support from First Federal in alignment with
his current exhibition “Well Suited The Costumes of Alonzo V. Wilson for HBO’s “Treme.”