Tonight I read an article by F. Jonquet,whose "conversations with Gilbert & George"(Phaidon) is a must, on Goldin's work. The critic points out the what differs her work from Arbus' s one. "There is no dread or distancing in her work,no hint of the human monstruosity that is Arbus's subtext".
I do think the distance between Arbus and the people she took pictures of ledead her to the ultimate gesture,sucide. Arbus either erased it or could not erase that distance. I don't think she did. But for sure she suffered because of that distance.
Goldin chosed to be "one of them" and we respect the choice she had the possibility to make. But if I were sure this choice was not aware,if I knew this heroism didn't hide the awarness of the "opposite solution",her work wouldn't be the same for me.
Arbus simply couldn't