Time - INT (2022-06-06)

In 2017, one of the great
American photographers,
Nan Goldin, was recover-
ing from an addiction to
the painkiller OxyContin
when she learned that the
maker of the drug, Purdue
Pharma, was owned by the
billionaire Sackler family.
The Sacklers were famous
for their philanthropy, their
name engraved on the walls
of the most illustrious art
museums in the world: the
Met, the British Museum,
the Louvre. Goldin was in-
dignant. Given the family’s
connection to the opioid
crisis, how could the art
world have allowed them
to launder their reputation?
She launched an auda-
cious campaign to shame
museums into cutting
ties with the Sacklers,

reached settlements requir-

ing them to pay $6 billion

to help remediate the cri-

sis. She pioneered a pow-

erful new form of activ-

ism and started an urgent

conversation about tainted

money in the arts. And

sure enough, one by one,

designing a series of elab-

orately choreographed

protests. With her impec-

cable eye and the zeal of

a survivor, Goldin framed

each protest like a pho-

tograph. It worked: she

placed a burning spotlight

on the family, who recently

museums began remov-

ing the Sackler name—

because, through Goldin’s

work, it had become a by-

word for infamy.

Keefe is a journalist

and author, most recently

of Empire of Pain

I know what it takes

to move a country. It’s to move a country. It’s

hard, and you have to hard, and you have to

have infi nite stamina have infi nite stamina

and belief and passion-and belief and passion-

ate commitment. And ate commitment. And

these two women have these two women have

it in spades. it in spades.

To fi nally make abor-To fi nally make abor-

tion legal in Colombia tion legal in Colombia

despite the infl uence of despite the infl uence of

the country’s religious the country’s religious

right, Ana Cristina right, Ana Cristina

González Vélez and Cris-González Vélez and Cris-

tina Villarreal Velásquez tina Villarreal Velásquez

had to think strategi-had to think strategi-

cally from the get-go. cally from the get-go.

They went straight to They went straight to

the place that was the place that was

the obstacle, the the obstacle, the

Constitutional Court. Constitutional Court.

They also knew the They also knew the

importance of importance of having having

a broad-based social a broad-based social

movement— movement— galvanizing galvanizing

women across the women across the

country to wear green country to wear green

handkerchiefs (which handkerchiefs (which

have become symbolic have become symbolic

across the region of sup-across the region of sup-

port for abortion access) port for abortion access)

and energetically claim and energetically claim

their rights. their rights.

It is remarkable what It is remarkable what

Ana Cristina and Cristina Ana Cristina and Cristina

did. It gives us hope for did. It gives us hope for

the future of access in the future of access in

the U.S., despite what the U.S., despite what

is happening with is happening with Roe v. Roe v.

Wade. Wade. It empowers It empowers

women in Poland—women in Poland—

where abortion laws are where abortion laws are

among the strictest in among the strictest in

Europe—to say, “OK, our Europe—to say, “OK, our

countries are different, countries are different,

but if they can do it, we but if they can do it, we

can pick ourselves can pick ourselves

up and have another up and have another

try.” That sense of try.” That sense of

international solidarity international solidarity

is crucial because there is crucial because there

are so many countries are so many countries

where it is diffi cult for where it is diffi cult for

women to even stand women to even stand

up and fi ght. up and fi ght.

I would very much I would very much

like to meet these like to meet these

women, to shake their women, to shake their

hands and give them a hands and give them a

hug. They are brilliant. hug. They are brilliant.

Smyth is an Irish activ-Smyth is an Irish activ-

ist and convener of ist and convener of

Together for Yes, a Together for Yes, a

coalition of civil-society coalition of civil-society

groups that success-groups that success-

fully campaigned to fully campaigned to

repeal Ireland’s strict repeal Ireland’s strict

ban on abortionban on abortion

Nan Goldin

Reframing the opioid crisis

BY PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE

Cristina Villarreal

Velásquez &Velásquez &Velásquez & Ana Cristina Ana Cristina Ana Cristina

GGonzález Vélezonzález Vélez

MMovemovement buildersent builders

B Y A I L B H E S M Y T HB Y A I L B H E S M Y T H

GOLDIN:

YANA

PASKOVA—EYEVINE/REDUX;

GONZÁLEZ

VÉLEZ

SOURCE

G O L D I N : YA N A P A S K O V A — E Y E V I N E / R E D U X ; G O N Z Á L E Z V É L E Z S O U R C E P H O T O : A L E J A N D R A Q U I N T E R O F O R T R I N E O C O M U N I C A C I O N E S ; V I L L A R R E A L V E L Á S Q U E Z S O U R C E P H O T O : J A V I E R J I M E N E Z

5050 TIMTIMEE June 6/June 13, 2022 June 6/June 13, 2022