A 69-year-old artist almost died due to a recent OxyContin habit

Now she leads die-in protests with “dead” demonstrators

69-year-old Nan Goldin is a U.S. artist and photographer who admits that in the mid-’60s, discussing mental health issues was an ‘improper’ conversation . As a result, she admits to sheltering herself from engaging in relationships and social activities, quietly fueling her art. [i]

Nan one month after being battered -1984, © Nan Goldin. Photo: TatePhoto by © Nan Goldin – Marian Goodman Gallery

Nan Goldin Documentary

Goldin narrates All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, released November 23, 2022. The documentary is described in short summaries as depicting an emotional epic story about Goldin, who blames the Sackler family, owners of Purdue Pharma, for the overdose crisis. After nearly dying from an OxyContin overdose, Goldin has become a spokesperson against “pill mills” and what screenwriters have described as Goldin’s “personal fight to hold the Sackler family accountable for the overdose crisis.” [ii]

Nan Goldin Photos

Goldin’s artwork includes one of her most notable pieces, a photograph, Nan, one month after being battered. It is a photographic self-portrait of Goldin from 1984, when her then-lover physically assaulted her in a hotel in Berlin. As a result, Goldin had to have major surgery. The photo reflects Goldin’s devotion to never avoiding “showing personal trauma.” She states, “I took this picture so that I would never go back to him.” [iii]

Nan Goldin Activism

Goldin’s activist work includes protests she calls “die-ins.” In one instance, Goldin lay lifeless on the Victoria & Albert Museum floor with empty bottles of painkillers littered around her. The ‘death’ was a performance but was meant to shock and inspire radical change throughout the Nation. During these protests, Goldin leads dozens of demonstrators to lie down as though they are victims of fatal drug overdoses in top art museums around the globe. [iv]

Watch the Official Trailer for the documentary in the YouTube video below.

Mixed Reviews of All the Beauty and the Bloodshed and Goldin’s Activist Work

Despite Goldin’s numerous inspirational and off-color art pieces, her message has mixed reception. One review praises All the Beauty and the Bloodshed‘s “topical activism” and its depiction of “determination for justice and accountability, a woman’s struggling life, and the power of family.” On the other hand, other reviewers described the documentary as “lacking and one-sided,” failing to provide a serious critique of how “the highly addictive opioid OxyContin had come to impact the lives of millions of American citizens.” [v]

Less than a year ago, Harvard School of Public Health professor Howard Koh confirmed that Oxycontin approval is one example of a primary driver of the opioid crisis. Sources indicate that Purdue Pharma, owned by the Sacklers, was “shown to have presented a fraudulent description of the drug as less addictive than other opioids. The profit motive of the pharmaceutical industry remains ever-present.” [vi]

References

[i] Sean Burns, Nan Goldin inspires audiences to consider decency in new documentary about the photographer (Dec. 9, 2022)

[ii] Coolidge Corner Theatre, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed – Directed by: Laura Poitras – Featuring: Nan Goldin (Nov. 23, 2022)

[iii] Nan Goldin, Nan one month after being battered (1984)

[iv] Sean Burns, Nan Goldin inspires audiences to consider decency in new documentary about the photographer (Dec. 9, 2022)

[v] IMDb User Reviews, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (2022)

[vi] Howard Koh, What led to the opioid crisis and how to fix it (Feb. 9, 2022)

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[Article Note: This piece was originally published on NewsBreak and has been archived and transferred to DOPE Quick Reads to preserve its informational value. Original publication date: 2023-01-24]