Sisters, Saints and Sibyls

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

Sisters, Saints and Sibyls is a tribute ‘to all rebellious women struggling to survive in society.’ Focusing on the tragic life of her sister, Barbara, Nan Goldin weaves together a tapestry out of medical records, family photographs and mythical allusions to Saint Barbara to compose a haunting meditation on the mistreatment of female mental health in the twentieth century. Barbara’s story is intertwined with Goldin’s own descent into, and emergence from, addiction, shining a brutal light on the realities of trauma, abuse and mental illness.

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.

About the Author

Nan Goldin (b. 1953) is a renowned American photographer known for her intimate, diaristic images that explore love, identity, addiction and the LGBTQ+ community. Goldin has exhibited widely, with key shows at MoMA, Gagosian and Moderna Museet. Previous publications include The Ballad of Sexual Dependency (1986) and The Devil’s Playground (2003).