P.A.I.N.

P.A.I.N. is an activist group founded by the photographer Nan Goldin in 2007. The organization, whose name stands for Prescription Addiction Intervention Now, focuses on holding corporations and institutions accountable for their role in the opioid epidemic. Through direct action, it targets entities like the Sackler family and museums that have accepted their philanthropic donations, using the tactics of art activism to demand restitution and policy change.

Overview

P.A.I.N. operates at the intersection of public health advocacy and institutional critique, utilizing staged protests and die-ins within cultural spaces to generate media attention. The group's strategy involves disrupting the public image of wealthy benefactors by highlighting the source of their wealth, which it ties directly to the marketing of OxyContin by Purdue Pharma. Its actions are often documented and disseminated through social media and have been covered by major outlets like The New York Times and The Guardian. The collective draws inspiration from historical protest movements, including ACT UP, and collaborates with other advocacy organizations such as Truth Pharm.

History and formation

The group was formed by Nan Goldin following her personal struggle with addiction to prescription opioids, which began after she was prescribed OxyContin for an injury. Goldin's experience led her to research the role of Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family in aggressively marketing the drug. The first major action by P.A.I.N. occurred in 2018 at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, where members scattered fake prescription slips and staged a die-in in the museum's rotunda. This protest targeted the museum's acceptance of donations from the Sackler family, whose name adorned wings at institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Louvre.

Activities and campaigns

P.A.I.N.'s campaigns have primarily targeted prestigious art institutions that have received philanthropic funding from the Sacklers. Notable actions include protests at the American Museum of Natural History, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and Harvard University's Arthur M. Sackler Museum. In 2019, the group staged a dramatic action in the Temple of Dendur hall at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, unfurling banners and dropping leaflets. These efforts are designed to pressure museums to refuse further funding and to remove the Sackler name from their buildings. The campaign achieved a significant victory when the National Portrait Gallery in London and the Guggenheim Museum publicly announced they would no longer accept Sackler donations.

Impact and reception

The activism of P.A.I.N. has been credited with shifting public perception and accelerating the removal of the Sackler name from major cultural institutions worldwide. Its protests have contributed to a broader reckoning within the art world regarding ethical sponsorship. The group's impact is reflected in the 2021 bankruptcy settlement of Purdue Pharma, which included provisions for the Sackler family to contribute to abatement funds. While praised by public health advocates and figures like Megan Ranney, the group's confrontational tactics have also drawn criticism from some who view them as disruptive to cultural spaces. The documentary film All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, directed by Laura Poitras, chronicles Goldin's life and the work of P.A.I.N., bringing its mission to a wider audience.

Notable members and affiliates

The core of P.A.I.N. includes founder Nan Goldin and a rotating group of activists, many of whom are artists or individuals personally affected by the opioid crisis. The collective has worked in solidarity with organizations like the Harm Reduction Coalition and has received public support from notable figures in the arts, including the artist Ai Weiwei and the filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer. While not formal members, academics and advocates such as Dr. Andrew Kolodny of Brandeis University have aligned with the group's goals. The collective's structure is non-hierarchical, often mobilizing volunteers for specific actions coordinated through social media and community networks.

Category:Activist groups Category:Organizations established in 2007 Category:Opioid epidemic in the United States