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Nan GoldinAmerican photographer
Date of Birth: 12.09.1953
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Nan Goldin
Nan Goldin is an American photographer whose work has sparked and continues to spark intense controversy. While some do not consider her photographs to be art, labeling them as "gritty," others praise Goldin as one of the most realistic contemporary photographers. Indeed, Goldin's photographs depict a very prosaic life, unafraid to show its less glamorous aspects. In essence, Goldin's photographs, which have been described as a "tragic actress," "photopunk," and "queen of drugs," tell the story of her own life.
Early Life
Nancy "Nan" Goldin was born in 1953 in Washington, D.C., in a Jewish family. She spent her childhood in Boston, Massachusetts. At the age of 12, Goldin experienced a significant trauma when her 18-year-old sister, Barbara Holly, died by suicide. Interestingly, it was during her sister's funeral that Goldin took her first photographs. According to a psychiatrist who evaluated Goldin after her sister's death, she was also prone to suicide, but managed to avoid it. However, Goldin's early life was far from exemplary. At the age of 14, she ran away from home, and her subsequent life was filled with all the manifestations of the "underbelly." She was exposed to sex, drugs, and alcohol at an early age, which was somewhat fashionable and bohemian in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Her photographs from that time are a chronicle of her own life, featuring drug addicts, half-naked drunken girls, masturbating young men with a seedy appearance, transvestites, and representatives of sexual minorities.
Career and Success
Goldin attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston/Tufts University and later moved to New York City. In 1986, she published her book titled "The Ballad of Sexual Dependency," which achieved tremendous success. Goldin's name was immediately associated with the leading photographers in America, and her exhibitions began to take place in various cities. The book was akin to a "family album," featuring photographs of Goldin's close friends and herself, with a central image of Goldin with bruises under her eyes. It is known that most of Goldin's "models" did not survive the 1990s due to drugs and AIDS. Goldin, however, managed to overcome her own addictions, undergoing several rehabilitation programs.
"The Ballad of Sexual Dependency" also gained enormous success as a slide show accompanied by music. In the 1990s, Goldin presented several more projects to the public, including "The Other Side," "A Double Life," "Emotions and Relations," and "Nan Goldin: Recent Photographs."
Later Career
Gradually, Goldin moved away from "adult" themes, and children began to appear in her photographs. This did not come without controversy, as child protection agencies saw more in Goldin's images than innocent children's photos. Nevertheless, Goldin insists that she never deliberately sought scandalous fame as an erotic photographer. According to her, she has always simply photographed the life around her.
"My desire was to preserve every moment of my life, to capture the essence of every person I loved. I want to portray my world as truthfully as possible, without idealizing or embellishing it," Goldin says. In 2007, Goldin received one of the most prestigious photography awards, the "Hasselblad." However, opinions on the deservedness of this prize sharply diverged.
Regardless, Nan Goldin is considered one of the most renowned American photographers today. Her exhibitions regularly take place worldwide and consistently find their admirers.
