Artist and activist Nan Goldin used her speech at the opening of her exhibition in Berlin to condemn the treatment of Germany’s Palestinian diaspora and the violence in Gaza. Speaking at the Neue Nationalgalerie on Friday, the 71-year-old artist called attention to what she described as systematic crackdowns on protests and expressed her “moral outrage” over the ongoing atrocities in Gaza and Lebanon.
Goldin called for a four-minute silence to honor Gaza during her speech. However, according to the German publication Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Neue Nationalgalerie director Klaus Biesenbach appeared to counter Goldin’s remarks. While affirming her right to express her views, Biesenbach stated that he personally disagreed with her stance.
Goldin, who is of Jewish heritage, drew a poignant parallel between her family’s history and the current situation. “My grandparents fled the pogroms in Russia, and I grew up with an acute awareness of the Holocaust. What’s happening in Gaza today echoes the horrors my ancestors sought to escape,” she said.
She further asserted that criticizing Israeli policies should not be conflated with antisemitism, emphasizing the importance of addressing the forced displacement and destruction unfolding in Gaza. Goldin framed her exhibition as a platform for amplifying voices of resistance and raising awareness about human rights abuses.
This bold statement adds another dimension to Goldin’s retrospective, which has already been lauded for its fusion of art and activism. Her remarks resonated with many attendees, reinforcing her legacy as a fearless advocate for justice and a trailblazer in contemporary art.
