Hasselblad Foundation and Nan Goldin

Jonas B · 03-09-2007, 01:22 AM

Congratulations to Nan Goldin!

The Hasselblad Foundation International Award in Photography for 2007 has been made to Nan Goldin, New York, USA.

I don't know much about Nan Goldin but I have seen some of her pictures. They immediately made me form associations with Diane Arbus. Norman Mailer once said "Giving a camera to Diane Arbus is like giving a hand grenade to a child" (IIRC) and I get the same feeling inside me looking at Nan Goldin's pictures as when looking at Arbus' pictures.

From the local paper here in Göteborg (and everybody knows the Hassy comes from here, right) I learn that Goldin was born in 1953, in Maryland, USA. In the 80's she started taking pictures of her every day life, a sort of diary. It was called "Ballad of Sexual independency". Her strongest pictures are showing her friends, victims of AIDS/HIV and life in general. To my understanding her life has been tough. Many friends have died, she has been a drug addict, suffered from depressions and have used the camera to get closer to people and , obviously, as a form of therapy.

I apologize for any possible mistakes in the short text above. The Hasselblad foundation has a short presentation of Nan with some pictures at the site. Unfortunately not the pictures I think of, but still:
The 2007 Hasselblad Award Winner - Nan Goldin
More pictures can be seen at artnet (and surely other places as well):
Nan Goldin on artnet

The exhibition with her pictures won't open until November here. I can't wait to see her pictures printed large.

scribble · 03-22-2007, 07:44 PM

To be honest, its about time she got a bit more recognition. But another truth is that most of her best works, consistently, and for many years, were mistakes. Of course, that very often true of most of us. When we forget and break some rule, we get a fantastic image.

But by her own admittance, the whole ballad series was unintentional art, as she was so drugged out that she did not even know that light had an effect on skin tone..

Rolly · 03-25-2007, 12:30 AM

Strange, too, that there has been so little comment on the technical qualities (?) of her photos on sites such as this one.

03-09-2007, 01:22 AM	#1
Jonas B Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Göteborg, Sweden Posts: 810	Hasselblad Foundation and Nan Goldin Congratulations to Nan Goldin! The Hasselblad Foundation International Award in Photography for 2007 has been made to Nan Goldin, New York, USA. I don't know much about Nan Goldin but I have seen some of her pictures. They immediately made me form associations with Diane Arbus. Norman Mailer once said "Giving a camera to Diane Arbus is like giving a hand grenade to a child" (IIRC) and I get the same feeling inside me looking at Nan Goldin's pictures as when looking at Arbus' pictures. From the local paper here in Göteborg (and everybody knows the Hassy comes from here, right) I learn that Goldin was born in 1953, in Maryland, USA. In the 80's she started taking pictures of her every day life, a sort of diary. It was called "Ballad of Sexual independency". Her strongest pictures are showing her friends, victims of AIDS/HIV and life in general. To my understanding her life has been tough. Many friends have died, she has been a drug addict, suffered from depressions and have used the camera to get closer to people and , obviously, as a form of therapy. I apologize for any possible mistakes in the short text above. The Hasselblad foundation has a short presentation of Nan with some pictures at the site. Unfortunately not the pictures I think of, but still: The 2007 Hasselblad Award Winner - Nan Goldin More pictures can be seen at artnet (and surely other places as well): Nan Goldin on artnet The exhibition with her pictures won't open until November here. I can't wait to see her pictures printed large.

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03-22-2007, 07:44 PM	#2
scribble Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Kentville, NS Photos: Gallery Posts: 208	To be honest, its about time she got a bit more recognition. But another truth is that most of her best works, consistently, and for many years, were mistakes. Of course, that very often true of most of us. When we forget and break some rule, we get a fantastic image. But by her own admittance, the whole ballad series was unintentional art, as she was so drugged out that she did not even know that light had an effect on skin tone..

03-25-2007, 12:30 AM	#3
Rolly Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 295	Strange, too, that there has been so little comment on the technical qualities (?) of her photos on sites such as this one.