Nan Goldin's 'Soeurs Saintes et Sybilles' Explores Family Tragedy

The publication 'Nan Goldin, Soeurs Saintes et Sybilles' by Éditions du Regard presents a visual narrative of the artist's family history, centered on her older sister Barbara Goldin. The book opens with a black-and-white wedding photo of Nan Goldin's parents on September 3, 1939, followed by images of Barbara at ages two, four, twelve, and fourteen, depicting a seemingly happy childhood. As the album progresses, the tone shifts from black-and-white (associated with peace and happiness) to color (associated with tragedy). Color photographs show an empty bed, railroad tracks, and a grave—the bed of the psychiatric institution where Barbara was treated, the tracks where she lay down in April 1965, and her tomb. Nan Goldin summarizes Barbara's brief life as marked by maternal hatred, paternal withdrawal, family violence, institutionalizations, and suicide. The narrative then turns to Nan herself, who at thirteen decided to become addicted to drugs, which she paradoxically credits with saving her along with photography, while also imprisoning her. Her self-portraits document depression, self-harm, hospitalizations, detox, and physical and moral violence with partners. The vivid colors of her photographs accentuate the harshness of the images. The book concludes with Barbara's figure as a saint and sybil, framing the work as a mausoleum-like tribute. The text is by Jacques Henric.