Nan Goldin supported the donation campaign titled “Colors That Survived,” organized for the benefit of children in Gaza, with her photograph “Ava twirling.” Curated by Ms. Rachel, the campaign raised over 65,000 dollars in donations through works created by children.
One of the most powerful figures in photographic art, Nan Goldin supported a donation campaign organized for children in Gaza by donating an artwork. By offering a print of her 2007 photograph Ava twirling for sale, Goldin donated the proceeds for the benefit of children and their families. Curated by Rachel Accurso—known for her educational content for children and reaching millions on YouTube—the donation campaign has so far raised more than 65,000 dollars.
This solidarity initiative, titled Colors That Survived, is based on a selection of drawings produced by children living in Gaza. The campaign aims to make visible the children’s ability to dream and express themselves even under conditions of war.
Art as the Testimony of Children
Ava twirling, donated by Goldin, is part of the artist’s Eden and After series, which focuses on children. The photograph, depicting a young girl in a white dress spinning and dancing at a moment when her hair almost completely covers her face, evokes a sense of childhood freedom. According to Goldin, this image also symbolizes the resilience of children in Gaza who try to preserve their joy of life despite all the destruction.
In her statement, the artist emphasized that what is happening in Gaza targets the future of children, and stated that surviving children need to be supported so they can rebuild a sense of hope. Goldin expressed that she has observed how children are forced to take on heavy responsibilities, yet despite all these conditions, they do not lose their joy and curiosity.
Rachel Accurso, after participating in a donation campaign organized by Save the Children in 2024, initiated an active solidarity process for children in conflict zones. Accurso directed the proceeds from her personal messages shared via Cameo to organizations supporting children in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. One of the symbolic moments of this solidarity was her wearing a specially designed dress made from drawings by children in Gaza at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards in November, and carrying their photographs on the red carpet.
The Colors That Survived campaign was realized in collaboration with the creative team of The Voice of Hind Rajab, a film that centers on the story of Hind Rajab and attracted great attention at the Venice Film Festival. It is planned that the proceeds from the film will also be transferred to the Palestine Red Crescent and children in Gaza. Kaouther Ben Hania from the project team emphasizes that the children’s drawings are not symbols, but direct evidence of what has been experienced.
The donation campaign, which began with a one-night exhibition at Caelum Gallery in New York, offered the children’s drawings from Gaza for sale as limited-edition prints, which sold out in a short time. Nan Goldin’s photograph, on the other hand, was presented to audiences through an online silent auction. The entire process is being carried out by Artists Support, an organization founded in 2020 that supports artists in generating resources for social issues.
