In her series "The Darkroom Experiment" vom Hagen portrayed people with different cultural background under the same circumstances. In total darkness she waited until the pupils fully extended to firstly capture an expression of concentration and orientation in a total dark space.
In a second step various tools where used to create tension, stress and sometimes even anxiety - the level and type of emotion expressed is subjective to the personality of the participant. Taken under the same conditions the series still shows various reactions and behaviors. These reactions are characterized by abstinence: of light and therefore of the ability to connect with the photographer, as well as the awareness of one's own self in front of the camera. Expressions where therefore reduced to an instinctive, free and ignorant behavior.
Some expressed:
- Surprise: raised eyebrows and partly squeezed lips or a silent "Ohh" mouth.
- Fearful grinning: smiling with strained neck or back bends. In science it is called "Low grin" and means something like:
"Let me go, I wont challenge your position" An expression which ensured the survival and is widely used today.
- Laughter: which is an expression of relaxation after a great exertion or danger. For women often paired with a hand gesture to protect the most vulnerable main artery in the neck.
- Rejection: which often comes with a protruded tongue. An instinctive action of rejection, babies do all around the world to push out the nipple of the mother when they have drunk enough. In adulthood some people do it as sign of rejection.
- Fear: expressed by pulling up the shoulders to make once smaller, wide-open eyes, clenched posture and anxious rippled eyebrows.
- Goosebumps: an instinctual defensive reaction among others when threatened.
This series lines up with other experimental photographic journeys into human body language, emotions and behaviours.
36 participants from Germany, China, Austria, France, USA, Switzerland, Italy.
