Nan Goldin's Berlin Exhibition Ignites Debate Over Art, Activism, and the Israel-Palestine Conflict

The opening of Goldin's retrospective at the Neue Nationalgalerie saw protests, accusations of censorship, and polarized reactions to her pro-Palestinian stance.

Nan Goldin's exhibition 'This Will Not End Well' at Berlin's Neue Nationalgalerie became a flashpoint for discourse on the Israel-Palestine conflict, with the artist using the opening to denounce Israeli actions in Gaza and German arms support for Israel.
Pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted the event, chanting slogans, while the museum's director, Klaus Biesenbach, faced backlash for publicly disagreeing with Goldin's statements but defending her right to express them.
Goldin accused the museum of censorship, alleging that a pro-Gaza slide was removed from her presentation, a claim the museum refuted with evidence showing the slide was added without prior approval and later withdrawn by her team.
The controversy highlighted deepening rifts within the art world over the Middle East conflict, with calls for dialogue overshadowed by boycotts, protests, and accusations of bias on all sides.
Cultural leaders and officials, including Germany's Culture Minister, condemned the protests and Goldin's remarks as one-sided and inflammatory, while her stance gained significant support on social media and among activists.