Nan Goldin: The Ballad of Sexual Dependency

Nan Goldin. The Ballad of Sexual Dependency is presented at Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of photography. Part of the Sandretto Re Rebaudengo Collection, the work comprises 126 photographs taken between 1973 and 1986, exploring themes of gender, intimacy, desire and power. Originally conceived as a slideshow accompanied by music, the project was presented in New York clubs and public art exhibitions before being published as a book by Aperture in 1986. The exhibition presents the complete sequence of photographs included in the volume, which marks its 40th anniversary in 2026 and has become a landmark in the history of photobooks.

Goldin photographs friends, lovers and people close to her, building a collective portrait of a generation through intimate scenes of everyday life, relationships and personal experiences. Rather than observing her subjects from an external perspective, she creates images rooted in her own relationships with them, challenging the boundaries between public and private life. Described by the artist as “the diary I let people read”, The Ballad of Sexual Dependency transforms personal experience into a shared record of a particular time and community, which Goldin has referred to as a “lost generation”.

Over the years, the work has had a lasting influence on contemporary photography and inspired generations of artists and photographers. Its direct, personal approach continues to raise questions about identity, vulnerability, human connection and the complexities of intimate relationships, confirming the enduring relevance of Goldin’s photographic language.