r/JewsOfConscience • u/ulixForReal Non-Jewish Ally • Nov 23 '24

Celebration Nan Goldin ruffling some feathers in pro-genocide Germany

No English articles about it (yet). Chat GPT translation cause I'm lazy:

https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/gaza-krieg-und-kunst-nan-goldin-ausstellung-sorgt-fuer-eklat-in-der-neuen-nationalgalerie-a-73d24821-76c3-40e5-9057-1a0bd3327ae6

Nan Goldin began her speech with a moment of silence for the victims in Gaza, Israel, and Lebanon. In front of dozens of pro-Palestinian activists, the Jewish photographer criticized Israel's actions and Germany's stance on the Middle East conflict. An attempt by the director of the Neue Nationalgalerie, Klaus Biesenbach, to respond was drowned out by chants. The event was originally intended to mark the opening of a new exhibition featuring Goldin's photographs.

"I have decided to use this exhibition as a platform to express my moral outrage over the genocide in Gaza and Lebanon," Goldin said on stage. "Germany is home to the largest Palestinian diaspora in Europe. Yet protests are being suppressed with police dogs."

I have basically no interest in photography so I didn't know her before, but man. She's great, isn't she?

Now keep in mind that in Germany, while generally pro-Palestinian Jewish voices are supressed just like everyone else's, you are at least a bit privileged as a Jew to speak your mind. If she wasn't Jewish I'm sure her exhibition would have been cancelled beforehand. That's not a criticism of her of course, I'm sure she's aware, and may have even mentioned it in her speech.

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35

u/touslesmatins Non-Jewish Ally Nov 23 '24

She was arrested at a JVP protest earlier too- a real comrade! (Her photography is great too, though I'm not familiar with her latest works)

19

u/ulixForReal Non-Jewish Ally Nov 23 '24

Here's a short video of (parts of?) her speech (in English):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNWA5tSN28A

14

u/ulixForReal Non-Jewish Ally Nov 23 '24

Let me add one thing. Saying "pro-genocide Germany" is a polemic. While our political class and the mainstream media are definitely pro-genocide or at least enablers of genocide, most Germans are actually against it.

In a recent survey 60% were against arms exports to Israel with 31% for. And that is despite an incredibly one-sided media-landscape, even compared to the US.

12

u/Apart_Meringue_6913 Nov 23 '24

Fantastic photographer. Real trailblazer

11

u/NYCQuilts Nov 23 '24

She took on the Sacklers, helping break the oxycontin scandal. Legend.

12

u/_II_I_I__I__I_I_II_ Jewish Anti-Zionist Nov 23 '24

Her speech is on X with other videos.

Very powerful.