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January 14, 2026

Nan Goldin: The Ballad of Sexual Dependency review

Gagosian, LondonMore than four decades on, Goldin’s louche lovers, waxwork royals, divorcing Mexicans and frightening wallpaper feel uncannily present – normal even

Nan Goldin: The Ballad of Sexual Dependency review

TL;DR

  • The Ballad of Sexual Dependency features photographs by Nan Goldin taken between 1973 and 1986.
  • The work has been presented as a slide show, film, and book since the 1980s.
  • The current exhibition displays 126 framed photographic prints.
  • The photographs capture intimate moments, relationships, and a sense of a past era.
  • Goldin's camera was always accessible, capturing unposed and candid moments.
  • The images evoke a range of emotions, from tenderness to a 'twitchy sullen feeling'.
  • The collection includes depictions of daily life, relationships, and personal experiences, such as injuries and pregnancies.
  • The article notes that Goldin's approach, while seemingly casual, is deceptive, with a keen eye for emotional texture.
  • The exhibition allows viewers to get lost among the cumulative and electrifying effect of the prints.
  • The article contrasts the perceived 'louche and edgy' life of Goldin's subjects with how normal their lives seem now, in comparison to modern self-conscious online presentations.

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