A talented British artist Tracey Emin manages to impress even experienced art critics with exquisite taste for art. The author received a number of awards for her creative work, her exhibitions are held worldwide and David Bowie once called the artist “the female version of William Blake.”
The artist, who calls herself “a mad Tracey from Margate City,” was born in 1963 in South London, and later moved with her family to Margate city. Her life story is very dramatic: at the age of thirteen she had been abused and later on, Tracy survived even two abortions. Tracy’s personality is really colourful and unpredictable. Once, the artist appeared at the serious television debates being drunk and for the name of art she held the exhibition of her used sanitary pads and tampons.
Perhaps that is why the member’s of Young British Artist (YBA) movement works are like personal confessions. She is one of the few artists who invites the viewer to take a much closer look at her inside world by revealing the most personal and intimate details of her life. Tracy does not hesitate to be sexually proactive, her works are raw, very open and sometimes there is no shortage of vulgarity. That is why a lot of her exhibitions’ visitors are truly intrigued.
The most dominant themes of the author works are abuse, abortion, negligence, adultery, some feminist contexts, etc. Many of the creative works are based on the artist’s own experience; some of them are autobiographical and revealing Tracey Emin’s personality.
“Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963-1995 (1995) – is well known work, which brought Tracey Emin to the fame. It was a tent, which was decorated with the internal walls of 102 names of people with whom the artist has slept since 1963 till 1995. Often, this piece of art was misinterpreted because its title “Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963-1995” had a broader meaning. According to the author, the tent was not only listed with the names of the loved ones, but also with the family members, friends, people with whom she consumed alcohol, even two numbered fetuses. One hundred and two names of people with whom she has slept, literally. This was a very personal work and according to the author, it allowed the visitors of the tent to dip into their own memories. The tent came in a comfortable internal light and at the bottom there was a mattress. Unfortunately, the work was destroyed in warehouse fire in 2004, and on this day it can only be seen in photographs. When asked if she could recreate this work, the author said that those emotions which she has experienced by developing this work are simply impossible to replicate.
Another impressive work which received a lot of attention is called “My Bed” (1998). Currently it is being sold for over a million pounds. Simplicity of this work portrays the true-life motifs. Stationary bed, messy sheets, used condoms and empty bottles, not to mention the other random items next to it. With this work the author wanted to portray her emotional fracture, during which she “lived” in bed for two weeks. It was like her fortress where she not only slept but also ate, drank and smoked.
Also, Tracey Emin has written several books and made a few movies. Her works are truly scandalous but it should not shock the sworn contemporary art fans. It must be noted that the artist is without any scruples, always eager to open her doors wide to the whole world to visit. All you have to do is not be afraid to take a look inside her soul and try to understand at least a little bit more.
