American fine art photographer Nan Goldin is renowned for documenting the post-punk and gay subculture of New York in the 1970s onward. She revolutionized contemporary photography with her aesthetic snapshots that depict drugs, sex, violence between couples, and autobiographical moments. Once a secret subculture in lower east side New York, the transsexual and gay communities became public in the fine art sphere because of Goldin's documentary photography. In comparison to other photographers of her time, Goldin was committed to the transgressive subject matter of her work. She captured her life in her work; thus creating a somewhat 'confessional memoir', making the images inseparable from their creator. Arguably then, to critique her work is to critique her life choices. This bond between contemporary art photography and autobiography has paved the way for young photographers since.
Images from Brooklyn Museum and Artnet. Goldin information from Penny Martin, Photography of the Moment by Ken Miller.
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