Ethereal Spirit: Elder Wisdom
Since 2018, I have been immersed in a transformative spiritual journey, exploring the profound intersections of wisdom, and aging. My path began with the study of Mussar, a tradition of Jewish spiritual ethics. Introduced to me by the Mendocino Coast Jewish Community, where I sought to better understand the acceptance of mortality and the cycles of life. This exploration expanded through SoulCollage, a creative practice that deepened my connection to my inner self and illuminated the layers of my identity.
In 2020, my journey evolved as I joined a local Sangha, a Buddhist study group, where I delved into the teachings of luminaries such as Christina Feldman, Pema Chödrön, Tara Brach, Jack Kornfield, and Desmond Tutu, among others. Surrounded by wise elder women, we explore the intimate relationship between our personal experiences and the Dharma, fostering a shared narrative of spiritual resilience and growth.
Parallel to these studies, I became a contributor to the "1 in 6 by 2030" global aging project, a movement highlighting the richness and challenges of the elder experience.
Inspired by my spiritual studies, I am now developing a narrative project that seeks to capture the essence of these remarkable women’s lives. Through shared dialogue and visual storytelling, we aim to uncover the threads that have shaped their identities and the wisdom they embody today.
This project, still unfolding, aspires to weave together the profound lessons of aging, spirituality, and resilience, offering a tapestry of insight into the lives of elder women and the legacies they carry forward.
Telling stories is a way of seeing the world.
J.Perlman Photography emerged from my love for fine art photography and fine art.
My journey into photography began while working at The Photographer’s Gallery of Palo Alto, where I sold the works of the renowned photography masters; Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Ruth Bernard, Diane Arbus, Garry Winogrand, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Edwourd Boubat, Andre Kertesz and many contemporary photographers. It was there where I focused my skills on composition and light, having details in the blacks and details in the white, and the fine art of photography.
I continue to explore the works of contemporary documentary fine art photographers and artists who inspire me, including Annie Leibovitz, Alec Soth, Julie Blackmon, Gabriele Galimberti, Sally Mann, Daisy Patton, Leah MacDonald, Cathy Cone, Bieke Depoorter, Cig Harvey plus many others.
My vision as a photographer was refined when I applied to become a Magnum Photographer, the world’s most prestigious photographic agency formed by four photographers – Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger and David “Chim” Seymour.
During this process, I had the opportunity to carefully review my work and discover my individual aesthetic and storytelling style. It was then I conceived my first personal project “Women In Transition: Ethereal Beauty.”
My second personal project “The Porch Series: Ethereal Journey” portraying people within their environments emerged during the pandemic. Through photographing friends, families and people in the community, I discovered my love for capturing people in their natural settings.
Currently, I am further developing this aspect of “Ethereal Journey” aligning with “Women In Transition” My ongoing photographic exploration focuses on Elders in their Environments, delving into the rituals that form an integral part of the "Ethereal Spirit: Elder Wisdom” (working title).