Nan Goldin, Cupid with his Wings on Fire, 2010
The photographer Nan Goldin is best known for her intensely private photographs of friends and lovers during the late 1970s through 1980s. Her groundbreaking publication The Ballad of Sexual Dependency (1986) epitomizes the “snapshot aesthetic” in photography. Goldin currently has an exhibition entitled Scopophilia at the Matthew Marks Gallery in Chelsea, in which she pairs photographs with images from the Louvre’s world-renowned collection of art. Explore the gallery’s website by viewing the installation video and read a recent New York Times interview with the photographer. What do you think of the cross references between the “high art” in the Louvre collection and Goldin’s contemporary photographs?
Matthew Marks Gallery Installation Video
Please post your responses by Thursday, December 15th.
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Absolutely marvelous, this woman is highly interesting. It has always occurred to me that creativity and imagination speak loud in the world of photography. Godin was more on the personal side with her works. They reminded her of past lovers and experiences that she went through. I can only say that the pictures of the nude really bring out her craft at taking beauty photos. There are many artist who do the same, so it’s good to see the diversity in the world of photography.
I completely agree with you about the personal side of her work. She was able to create a diary through her art and allow her viewers and followers and admirers to be part of that private life.
It was great how Goldin basically brought some of the art in the Louvre to life. Though most of her photography are from personal experiences, it showed a more realistic and sensual feel compared to the paintings. Its also amazing how she mentioned in the interview that looking through these photographs made her think about past memories. Most of her photographs haven’t been shown to the public so this exhibit became her “coming out” party.
I absolutely agree that this woman is a very creative and talented photographer, that is why she has received different awards such as the Hasselblad Foundation International Award in 2007, and has a lot of exhibitions in France and in USA. But for me this photos are too sexual and provocative. I don’t like that she pairs this kind of pictures with classic art of Louvre. The naked body on photos of Louvre’s exhibits is perfect and really beautiful, that is the real art. And the photos of Nan Goldin are good, realistic and sensual by themselves, but on this background they look cheap and vulgar in my opinion.
I agree with what you said about her creativity as a photographer, and also the fantastic pictures that she takes, but, she doesn’t exactly pair the photographs of the Louvre with her contemporary photographs. Most of her contemporary photographs have never been seen my the public. Yes, the ones that have been shown are somewhat sensual, but I believe that that is her style. I personally don’t see them as pornographic photos. I see them as art. I don’t believe that they look cheap and vulgar either, they rather look realistic, and shes not afraid to show them.
The exhibition is simply breath taking in the most natural beauty form. Her photography shows so much pain, and love, as well wishing and thought. You can tell from her photography how much she has gone through in her life, and yet how much appreciation she has for the simple things. The way she created her photographs off the inspiration from art and sculptures bring everything together. She once again reminds her viewers that photography is considered to be part of art and the long journey it took to get its approval. She presents something private to the world, showing now one should be ashamed, by even allowing the interviewer to see where she lives and how she lives she is telling the public simplicity is beauty. The human body, the language it speaks, the shapes it takes, that’s beauty.
Nan Goldin’s Scopophilic View of the Louvre definitely looks very passionate. Passionate about sex and love. The photographs are certainly very honest in my opinion; the don’t seem to be a product of a manipulated subject. I guess it helps when the photographer has a real connection with the subject. Goldin showed classiness by not displaying the images of the ex girlfriend even though she wanted to. Nan seems to have a great appreciation for the human body, her photography is great. The way she pairs pictures of Louvre I’m not crazy about. I feel like it takes away from her amazing images.
I found Nan Goldin’s work highly interesting I like that she includes a lot of her personal experiences to reflect in her photographs. Her work shows a lot of emotion such as pain, happiness, and passion and just a realistic side of her life and also the beauty form of life itself. The photographs of nudes look like art to me. It displays human nature to me. The way she brings an object such as a rose plays that nature v.s. human card for me. She is creative and unique in her own way and I feel that, that’s what makes her work so artistic, the way she can find a connection between her and the world with the use of art and photography.