Neue Nationalgalerie’s retrospective is the first exhibition in Germany to present a comprehensive overview of Goldin’s work as a filmmaker. The exhibition is installed in six unique buildings designed by Hala Wardé, an architect who frequently works with Goldin. Each building is designed in response to the specific piece. Together they constitute a village. “I have always wanted to be a filmmaker. My slideshows are films made up of stills,” says Nan Goldin. The exhibition is comprised of: “The Ballad of Sexual Dependency” (1981–2022), her magnum opus; “The Other Side” (1992– 2021), a historical portrait produced as an homage to her trans friends whom she photographed 1972–2010; “Sisters, Saints and Sibyls” (2004–2022), a testament to the trauma of families and suicide; “Fire Leap” (2010–2022), a foray into the world of children; “Memory Lost” (2019–2021), a claustrophobic journey through drug withdrawal; and “Sirens” (2019–2020), a trip into drug ecstasy. Nan Goldin is one of the most high-profile artists of our time. Her work's exploration of the human experience is legendary and has profoundly influenced subsequent generations. Goldin’s work also stands as a document of the times. Around 1980 Goldin began presenting her slideshows in various clubs and public venues in New York, as well as at underground cinemas and film festivals in Europe. Nan Goldin has a very special relationship with Berlin. In 1991, she received a DAAD scholarship, moved to the city and has been returning ever since: "The best years of my life were here in Berlin," Goldin said in 2010. "I don't say that lightly. I've been looking for a home all my life. The only place I feel myself and comfortable and feel real love for my friends is Berlin."

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