Nan Goldin: The Ballad Of Sexual Dependency

By Nan Goldin, with texts by Mark Holborn, Marvin Heiferman, and Suzanne Fletcher
A masterpiece of modern photography — intimate, explosive, and impossibly alive. A raw, fearless, and unforgettable portrait of love, loss, and life on the edge. Step into the world of Nan Goldin, where every photograph pulses with color, emotion, and truth. First published in 1986, The Ballad of Sexual Dependency is Goldin’s groundbreaking visual diary — a brutally honest, deeply human record of her “tribe” of friends and lovers navigating intimacy, addiction, desire, and survival in the charged atmosphere of the late 20th century.

Visceral and cinematic, these photographs capture the full spectrum of life: tenderness and chaos, euphoria and heartbreak, beauty and decay. With her signature lush color and unflinching gaze, Goldin turns private moments into universal stories, revealing the ache and ecstasy of being alive.

This anniversary edition breathes new life into a timeless classic, featuring newly remastered image separations that heighten the book’s lush tones and immersive intensity. More than just a photo book, The Ballad of Sexual Dependency is a cultural landmark — a document of an era, a testament to vulnerability, and a love letter to those who dared to live authentically. Memory isn’t clean, love isn’t tidy, and life has never been so vividly real.

“Real memory, which these pictures trigger, is an invocation of the color, smell, sound and physical presence, the density and flavor of life.” - Goldin

Details 

• Hardcover
• 144 pages with 130 color illustrations
• Dimension: 10.25in x 9.4in x .75in