skip to main content

THE WORKS PRESENTS: TRACEY EMIN

Tracey Emin Pic With JK Image Name: Tracey Emin Pic With JK

THE WORKS PRESENTS: TRACEY EMIN

SEASON 3

The Works Presents returns with a new 10-part series in which John Kelly meets key figures from the worlds of film, literature, music, theatre and the visual arts.

In the first episode of the series, John travels to London to meet with the internationally renowned artist, Tracey Emin, in what is one of her last public interviews for a year.

A self-confessed workaholic, she is taking a year long sabbatical from public life in order to concentrate on both her work and her personal life.

In a frank and open discussion, 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 resonated with people. To this day, Emin states that this work is one of the most widely known pieces of art in the country.

Emin has worked in a huge variety of media, from paint and sketches, to neon text and film. Her work sells for thousands of pounds yet continues to divide critics and public alike.