Artist: Janina Frye
Exhibition title: Mechanisms of Blushing
Venue: Galería Fran Reus, Mallorca, Spain
Date: March 23 – June 1, 2024
Photography: Grimalt de Blanch / all images copyright and courtesy of the artist and Galería Fran Reus, Mallorca
A high-pitched sound is coming out of a small gap under the stairs to the side of your desk. You try to find it’s origin, using your smartphone as a torch, you crawl under the desk and shine it into the darkness. There’s something moving around and, on closer inspection, you almost jump out of your skin. It’s a giant rodent, somehow cute and also scary looking, busily gnawing away on an electricity cable…
Just like hidden corners in a house reveal unexpected activities, our bodies too have visible and invisible aspects. The physical appearance of our bodies reflects the internal processes, including emotions and thoughts. This interconnectedness between the outside and inside of our bodies is exemplified in the phenomenon of blushing.
Charles Darwin considered blushing to be ‘the most peculiar and most human of all expressions’, tied to emotions like embarrassment and shame. Recent research has delved into the intricate mechanisms behind blushing, shedding light on its psychophysiological aspects. Blushing, characterized by a reddening of the face in emotionally charged situations, involves the accumulation of red blood cells in the facial skin’s venous plexus.
The process of blushing is complex, involving the active dilation of arterial supply and the involvement of β-adrenoceptors in the facial veins. The neural regulation of blood flow in the face is intricate, influenced by various reflexes and substances in the bloodstream. Factors like neurotransmitters, hormones, dietary products, drugs and sensory nerves play a role in the control of facial blood flow. This system of processes, is hidden under our skin and outside of our control.
In essence, blushing serves as a visible manifestation of the internal emotional turmoil, highlighting the intricate interplay between our physical appearance and our inner feelings. Just as the mischievous activity of a hidden rodent, blushing reveals the hidden emotions and reactions within us.
Silence.
And then…
Boom!
Sparks fly, the lights go out, and you’re left in the dark facing the rodent, who’s even more shocked
Than you.
You wake up.
It was just a dream.
