Nan Goldin's 55 is more than a collection of "out of the ordinary" photographs; it is a documentation of real life. As a photographer, Nan set out to understand personal relationships and resolve her personal history. These photographs display different aspects of life, like Nan's relationships with social outcasts that we commonly overlook. She gets very personal with her subjects in most of the photographs, almost invading their privacy.
The book begins with an essay introducing Nan Goldin and her theoretical approach, and then goes on to explain how Nan came to know photography. Also explained are the tragic and life changing experiences that influenced and pushed her to challenge documentary photography. Nan opened a door that changed how we see the world by showing us things that weren't normally seen in photographs. Previous photographers such as Larry Clark had suggested the possibility with his very intimate Tulsa collection. Nan wanted to understand people, relationships and where she stood in the world and this book is a small glimpse into her search for purpose.
55 is a combined version of several different exhibitions and projects that Nan has done over the years. Although the book is small in size, the intensity of the images hasn't changed. Every photo is illuminated in color and accompanied by a caption that explains the individual photograph, as well as added details of the subject. This book is perfectly capable of standing alone in defining Nan Goldin's work and is also a short, beautifully written biography.
