It’s not about the sex anymore?
Tracey Emin (born 1963 ) is a British artist who is a leading member of the group known as the YBAs (Young British Artists) – although most are now in their 40s. They are conceptual artists who gained fame (or notoriety) in the 1990s for their shock tactic art. They were sponsored by Charles Saatchi at a time similar to these, when the contemporary art market in London had collapsed due to a major economic recession, and many commercial contemporary galleries had gone out of business.
Emin’s is known for her overtly sexual and provocative work. She creates paintings, drawings, videos, installations, photography, needlework neon and sculptures. White Cube who currently represents her suggests that in her work “she reveals her hopes, humiliations, failures and successes in candid and often excoriating work that is frequently both tragic and humorous.” Much of her work is said to be autobiographical with heavy focus on her disturbing sexual history.
Some of her most notorious works includes “My Bed” which was shortlisted for the Turner Prize consisting of her bed with yellow stained sheets covered in detritus such as condoms, cigarettes, underpants with blood stains and other garbage. Another is “Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963-1995” which was a blue tent which had names of everyone she has slept with appliquéd on the inside.
Her current show at White Cube has as its central piece a looped animation of 150 drawings that depicts a woman masturbating.
So this sexual exhibitionist; the ‘Bad Girl of British art” is now suggesting that sex is no longer her inspiration. In an interview with the Guardian Newspaper of London she said “It always was about sex, not money,” she said. “Sex was what held me in bed and got me out of it again in the morning. But now it’s fading fast. I don’t have the same craziness about sex that I had – I’m more interested in ideas.”
Having used sex as the basis for most of her work and gained fame/notoriety on the back of it, will there be anything left worth collecting for the impressive honor roll of superstars of the entertainment, business and art world who have long collected her work? Will the grown up Emin be as creative and revered?
The exhibition at White Cube Gallery, London titled “Tracey Emin: Those Who Suffer Love”, runs from 29 May to 4 July.
