Ashton Brown

My recent work explores my journey to regaining inner strength. Beginning with a fascination with the victims of Ted Bundy, I created dark, raw self-portraits using photographs and repeated objects to describe women as powerless to strong. The three works in the senior exhibition create a narrative of this transformation forcing the viewer to feel empowered.      

 During the summer of 2019, “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes” premiered on Netflix. I could not fathom how someone could do this, so I continued researching to figure out why a human being could commit these monstrous acts. I went so deep into the research that I read the actual FBI files on Bundy’s case. I needed to make visual representations to help me process this information. I focused on how he used everyday patterns to take advantage of young women. Bundy’s close observation of behavior lead him to use the empathy of individual women towards the disabled or injured to his advantage. These works layered patterns of the evidence found in his vehicle such as fingerprints, trash, panties, pantyhose, pornography, and more. I lead me to believe that anybody could be a serial killer, and anyone can be a victim. My older sisters first vehicle was a VW bug. My physical appearance fits the profile of Ted Bundy’s victims.

In order to understand the fear, anxiety, and self-defeat that his victims felt during this time, I placed myself in their position. In a series of self-portraits, I recreated the familiar scene of a victim being tied up and placed in the trunk. In the scene I wore pantyhose and 80’s style underwear and then bound myself at the wrist and ankles. Even though I trusted the photographer and was in control of the situation, I still felt claustrophobic, anxious, nauseous, and overwhelmed. Changing the photograph to black and white created a focus on the person rather than individual parts like red lips. I was inspired by “The most beautiful suicide,” taken by Robert C Wiles. The body is elongated and elegant as it melts into the car. This feeling is in many of my photographs.

 The car that formed around the figure sparked an idea of surrounding my figures in materials as if they meant to be there. I placed one of the cut-out figures from a photograph in a trunk and surrounded it with found objects. These materials were trash that are similar to objects normally found in a vehicle. I wanted the work to have size and importance on the wall, so I decided to work on 4ftX4ft boards. I used the rule of thirds to place my figure on the board. I forced the figure off center by moving it down and to the left. Using life size materials made me place them according to how they fit around the body. These simple shapes were inspired by artists like Donald Judd whose work focuses on the beauty of simple objects. I spray painted the objects one color to unify them and create drama. I chose black to create contrast and focus on the figure like Louise Bourgeois. Her dark and raw materials are reminiscent of a serial killer’s trunk and dark recesses of the roof a car surrounding “the most beautiful suicide.”

This became the first work in this series. I continued to work with a figure surrounded by a multitude of objects. I took a variety of photographs with emotionally ambiguous poses. As I pushed further, my poses changed from closed to open as the figure regained self-confidence. The representation of the body reflects the internal struggle as it moves from being powerless to being strong. This metamorphosis is seen in my body as I grow stronger throughout the year and the poses are less painful with more of a warm feeling. The objects surrounding the figures create a pattern that reinforces its elegance and tone. Inspired by Klimt, I am surrounding a naturalistic figure with a variety of colors and patterns to express my overall message. The materials I used could be self-destructive and dangerous. As I continued to work through the series, I moved from making the materials uniform with spray paint to allowing the rawness of one repetitive material to support the figure. I surrounded the figure with the materials until a pattern formed taking on a life of its own. The pattern is a direct reaction to the figure.  

The work in the Senior Exhibition showcases a fallen figure that is beautiful but murderous. The pose is an extreme curtsey with one leg placed over a shoulder to exaggerate the movement of the limbs. I used the same pose in three different pieces. By changing the background and surrounding the form, I caused a shift in the narrative. The first figure in this series is defeated. The arrows are pointing at the figure, creating a sense of being shot down. The second figure is showing strength. The blades create the texture of metal armor surrounding the figure as if protecting it. The final piece in the show represents the transformation into a defender. The kitchen knives are facing away from the figure like the quills on a porcupine. The narrative created by the changing of materials reinforces growth, strength, and self-confidence.  

            I want the viewer to feel empowered by this journey. The empowerment of the figure created by the patterning of materials entrap the viewer in an emotional saga. I want the viewer to see how someone can overcome the effects of abuse. I hope to continue this series using other models to help tell their stories.