© Pavel Wolberg, Hebron (Purim) 2010
Andrea Meislin Gallery presents Pavel Wolberg’s first exhibition at the gallery and in New York.
An objective yet empathetic observer, Wolberg intuitively photographs moments of wonder, spectacle, and solitude. He began his career in photojournalism, where his instinctual way of working allowed him to capture climactic and historic moments. Yet his photographs, which often depict various communities and their respective rituals in Israel, lean more towards the poetic than the political.
An avid museumgoer as a child growing up in Russia, he is inspired by great masters like Gericault and David, and his photographs often feel like paintings. Whether close to the action or revealing an expansive perspective, Wolberg maintains the position of a foreign observer and refrains from passing judgment or designating right or wrong. Renowned journalistic photographer Micha Bar-Am says of Wolberg, “He understands that life is sufficiently dramatic and theatrical and he has the proper combination of the laws of the chase and knowledge, in making a visual and artistic statement.”
Whether capturing the revelry of Purim, men dancing in gay clubs in Tel Aviv, sacred moments of a Hasidic wedding, or conflict-laden landscapes, Wolberg handles all of his subjects with sensitivity and respect, always aware of his responsibility as a visual communicator.
© Pavel Wolberg, Nilin, West Bank 2009
