ARTIST STATEMENT
TOTEM POLES Each image presents a distinct arrangement of painted branches, reminiscent of Totem Poles—symbolic structures traditionally used by Indigenous cultures to honor and commemorate ancestry, histories, individuals, or significant events. As I created and painted these Totem Poles, I engaged in a meditative process, reflecting on the memories of loved ones who passed away. This deep contemplation while painting served as a cathartic exercise, allowing me to immerse myself in their legacy and feel connected to their enduring presence. Each brushstroke became a bridge to the past, fostering a sense of closeness and continuity that transcended time and loss.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Sabine Pearlman is an Austrian born photographer who is currently based in Los Angeles, California. Her works usually investigate the stories behind objects and their deeper meaning, as in her widely exhibited series AMMO, in which she depicts the strangely alluring architecture of ammunition cross-sections. In her latest series, TOTEM POLES, she becomes the creator of the object. During the creation process, she meditates on and commemorates the stories of lost loved ones. Pearlman has exhibited in museums and galleries extensively since 2008. She has two solo exhibitions with PYO Gallery in Seoul and Orange Coast College Fine Art Gallery in California, and her works have been exhibited wide nationally at Brattleboro Museum in Massachusetts, Griffin Museum of Photography in Vermont, Wall Space Gallery in New York, Houston Center for Photography in Texas, Durden and Ray Gallery in California to name a few. Pearlman received Lens Culture Emerging Photographer Award (2013), SMC Photography Excellence Award (2011) and SMC Global Citizenship Photography Award (2011). She studied photography at Pratt Institute, Otis College of Art and Design and Santa Monica College.
© Sabine Pearlman