Born in Turkey in 1967, Claire Marie Pearman was educated in the UK and graduated from the American University in Cairo in 1990 with a B.A in Psychology. Until recently, she lived and worked in Cairo, specializing in paper and metal sculptures and installations. Claire Marie's work often incorporates symbolic elements and is inspired by nature. Her work has been exhibited both in the UK and in Egypt.
She received the distinguished Art of Dialogue Honor for exceptional service through the arts in furthering East-West exchange from the Société des Amis de l'Art, the oldest contemporary arts association in the Middle East founded in 1921 under the patronage of King Fuad, and the founding entity of the Museum of Modern Art in Cairo. Pearman received special invitation by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture to participate in the internationally recognized Hurghada Art Symposium, and was also selected to participate in the internationally recognized Fayoum Winter Art Academy for International Exchange, in the oasis of Fayoum, Egypt, at the Arab Caricature Museum. She was selected as a finalist for the distinguished Artist-in-Residence program of St. Johns Church & Interfaith Center, Cairo
Claire Marie's artwork was in 2013 selected by a prestigious panel of art judges
for exhibition at the renowned St. Paul's Cathedral in London. 120,000 people viewed her work while on exhibition at St. Paul's Cathedral. Her "Peace and Compassion" decorated sculpture was selected for display by the five-star Four Seasons Hotel for their art program (Giza, Cairo, Egypt). Pearman's work was auctioned off by Sotheby's in September 2013. She was appointed to a select panel of judges (together with consultants for Christies and art representatives from the Swiss government) to select artwork from the 2013 CARAVAN initiative in Egypt to travel for exhibition around Europe.
Claire Marie's statement on her Donkey sculpture for the CARAVAN project:
"Peace and Compassion"
Barbed wire is wound up the donkey's legs to portray conflict and the struggle for peace. Higher up, it morphs into a rambling rose; the thorns symbolic of the ongoing work that needs to be done to maintain peace once it has been achieved and the roses representing compassion.
Egyptian folklore has been referenced a little with the bloody hand print and the blue eyes. Locally, the hand print is done for good luck but I find it evokes a visceral, negative reaction and have used it to symbolize the blood of innocents that is shed in conflict. This highlights how the same image can be viewed so alternatively by different cultural groups.
The blue eyes are a nod to the 'evil eye' which keeps bad spirits away, hence the donkey through its message of peace will protect compassion.
