大象传媒

Photographer Nan Goldin used the power of her fame, her art and personal experience to campaign against prescription opioids.

In the 1980s she sought help for her addictions; she went to rehab and got clean. In 2014 following wrist surgery she was prescribed the pain killer Oxycontin and says 'I took it as directed and became addicted overnight'.

When she became sober again in 2017 she said she decided to make the personal political. Using tactics learnt in part from the Aids activist group Act Up she turned her anger into protest. The Sackler family, some of whom owned Purdue Pharma, the manufacturers of Oxycontin, sponsored many arts institutions. Nan Goldin created activist performance pieces at these sponsored art galleries, campaigning to have their names removed. The campaign led to many institutions either removing the Sackler name from the galleries they sponsored or refusing donations.

Presenter Sally Marlow is a specialist in mental health and addiction and says it is uplifting to end her series on women artists and addiction with Nan Goldin who leveraged her name, art and connections to bring changes and to also lobby for support, services and treatment for people addicted to opioids.

Presented by Professor Sally Marlow
Produced by Geraldine Fitzgerald
a TellTale Industries Ltd production