Research Symposium

BIO

Bella Lunel is a Latin-American painter and digital artist practicing in Tallahassee, FL. She is working on her undergraduate research thesis for Honors in the Major at Florida State University. Lunel’s research, titled Excess, Abjection, and Hypersexualization: Women in Horror, explores the dehumanizing nature in which women are represented and punished for their sexuality. The final product will feature a 12-page thesis and a solo exhibition of 6 paintings and 3 ceramic masks. Her work is heavily inspired by whimsical and gothic mythologies, as well as the tropes and structures of horror media. Lunel visually translates the dreamscape's surreal nature through a macabre aesthetic lens. Primarily working in large-scale oil painting, she is heavily inspired by the styles of the Renaissance and Romantic periods. Drawing her attention to the underrepresented female artists of these movements. Masters such as Artemisia Gentileschi and Elisabetta Sirani. With a dark color palette composed of deep violet, phthalo blues, and crimson, Lunel renders dream-like depictions of vaguely horrific scenarios. She leans into techniques such as chiaroscuro and sfumato, looking to portray a classical composition with a contemporary metaphor.

Excess, Abjection, Hypersexualization: Women In Horror

Abstract

This thesis paper seeks to delve into the pervasive themes of excess, abjection, and the hypersexualization of the female form within the horror genre. Through painting and sculpture, this project examines the intentional use of excess violence, in particular with the portrayal of female figures as victims, to evoke emotional reactions from viewers. The structure of this paper provides a concise overview of the contemporary context and related research. Then it moves its focus into detailed research, materials, and aesthetic choices that mutually influenced one another throughout the project's development. Conclusively, this creative project aims to critically examine the treatment of women in horror, exploring the genre's historical and contemporary impact on societal perceptions of gender. The goal is to reflect the attitudes of the genre’s audience, confronting the apathetic and adverse reactions that arise when women are presented in pain that is directly attributed to their sexuality.

Keywords: horror, women, nudity