Sisters, Saints and Sibyls

Nan Goldin's deeply personal exploration of female trauma and resistance.

One of Nan Goldin’s most important series, this timely publication is set to align with a major career retrospective opening at the Grand Palais, Paris, in March 2026. Focusing on the life of her sister Barbara, Goldin brings together hospital reports, family snapshots and her own photographs to construct a visual tapestry exploring addiction, abuse, trauma and female resistance. Barbara’s story is intertwined with Goldin’s own descent into, and emergence from, addiction.

Bringing moments considered shameful by others to the front of the page, Sisters, Saints and Sibyls is a liberatory experience, shining a light on the reality of addiction and trauma. It is, as Goldin herself notes, as ‘a tribute to my sister and to all rebellious women struggling to survive in society.’