RTÉ One
The Works Presents Returns With A Brand New 10 Part-Series
The Works Presents returns tonight with a brand new 10-part series in which presenter John Kelly meets key figures from the worlds of film, literature, music, theatre and the visual arts.
This engaging and compelling series sees John interview renowned artists like Tracey Emin, Alice Maher and Kevin Rowland.
Sarah Ryder, Executive Producer of Arts for RTÉ Television, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the response to the new format – both from the audience and the arts community. It’s been a privilege to work with some of the greatest leading lights in the arts, both in Ireland and internationally: from artists like Marina Abramovic, Philip Glass and Elvis Costello to home-grown talent like Emma Donoghue, Gabriel Byrne, Jennifer Johnston and Iarla O Lionaird, these programmes have been a joy to make. We hope audiences will love watching them as much as we have enjoyed making them”
In the first episode of the new series, John travels to London to meet internationally-renowned artist, Tracey Emin, in what will be one of her last public interviews before she takes a year long sabbatical from public life. A self-confessed workaholic, she is taking a break in order to concentrate on both her work and personal life.
In a frank and revealing interview, the controversial ‘enfant terrible’ of the British art scene talks about growing up in Margate, being homeless, and how, as a teenager, happening across one small painting in a book changed the trajectory of her life.
From her first recognition as an artist in New York in the early 1990s, through to her recent exhibition in Hong Kong, ‘I Cried Because I Love You’, Emin talks about the biographical nature of her work and how it feels to grow older.
Known for confronting taboo subjects in her art, Emin has caused controversy throughout her career, particularly with her installation ‘My Bed’, famous for its stained sheets and cluttered bedroom debris.
She talks about the meaning behind ‘My Bed’ and how it continues to resonate with audiences. Despite what her critics said at the time, the work remains one of the most instantly-recognisable pieces of art of modern times.
Emin has worked in a huge variety of media, from paint and sketches, to neon text and film. Her work sells for vast sums, yet continues to divide critics and public alike.
Link to the promo for the first episode:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw-TvHnx50o&feature=youtu.be
The Works Presents returns tonight at 23.05 on RTÉ One.
All episodes also available on-demand on RTÉ Player’s new arts section.
For more information contact:
Sinéad Harrington, RTÉ TV Press Officer, sinead.harrington@rte.ie; 087-666-9311
Image of John Kelly and Tracey Emin attached.