Artist Profile

Tracey Emin

Tracey Emin is a prominent English artist recognized for her deeply autobiographical and confessional approach to art. She works across a diverse range of media, including neon text, sewn appliqué, painting, and sculpture.

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Biography

Born in London, Tracey Emin rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s as a key figure among the Young British Artists. Her practice is defined by its raw, personal nature, often drawing directly from her own life experiences to explore themes of memory, trauma, and identity.

Emin utilizes a wide variety of materials to translate her internal narrative into physical form, ranging from intimate textile works and drawings to large-scale neon installations and bronze sculptures. Her work often challenges the boundaries between the private and the public, transforming personal history into universal visual language.

In 2026, Emin is the subject of a major career-spanning retrospective titled A Second Life, organized by Tate Modern and presented at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. This survey, which includes over 100 works, highlights her enduring influence on contemporary art and her continued evolution as a multidisciplinary artist.

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Notable Works

  • My Bed · 1998Installation
  • Exorcism of the Last Painting I Ever Made · 1996Installation

Career Highlights

  • 2016Elected as a Royal Academician
  • 2026Tate Modern career-spanning retrospective
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From The Cultural Signal

Paris

White Cube to Present Tracey Emin's Debut Solo Paris Exhibition Alongside Art Basel Paris 2026

On September 28, 2026, White Cube announced that Tracey Emin (b. 1963, London) will have her debut solo exhibition at its Paris gallery, coinciding with Art Basel Paris 2026.

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White Cube, Art Basel Paris to Present Tracey Emin Bronze Sculptures at Parvis des Droits-de-l’Homme

White Cube, Art Basel Paris to Present Tracey Emin Bronze Sculptures at Parvis des Droits-de-l’Homme

On September 24, 2026, White Cube announced that three large-scale bronze sculptures by Tracey Emin will be installed at Parvis des Droits-de-l’Homme in Paris from October 14 to November 1, 2026.

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Art Basel Paris 2026 to Feature 211 Galleries, Expanded Public Program Across City
FairParisSep 21

Art Basel Paris 2026 to Feature 211 Galleries, Expanded Public Program Across City

Art Basel Paris announced its fifth edition, taking place at the Grand Palais from October 23–25, 2026, with preview days on October 21 and 22.

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Tate Britain's 'End of a Century 1990-2000' Showcases YBAs and Reflective Artists

Tate Britain's 'End of a Century 1990-2000' Showcases YBAs and Reflective Artists

Tate Britain in London is presenting "End of a Century 1990-2000," an ongoing exhibition that examines the transformative decade of British art, marked by media, money, and celebrity.

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White Cube Artists Named to Inaugural TIME100 Art List

White Cube Artists Named to Inaugural TIME100 Art List

On September 17, 2026, White Cube announced that five of its represented artists—Michael Armitage, Tracey Emin, Theaster Gates, David Hammons, and Gabriel Orozco—have been named to the inaugural TIME100 Art list.

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London

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art to Host Tracey Emin Retrospective 'A Second Life' Organized by Tate Modern

Tate Modern in London is organizing the exhibition Tracey Emin: A Second Life. The show surveys nearly 40 years of the British artist's practice in painting, drawing, sculpture, textile, film and installation, including the 1998 work My Bed that was nominated for the Turner Prize in 1999.

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Paris

Artcurial to Auction Modern and Contemporary Works Including Gauguin and Condo in Paris

Artcurial will hold a series of Modern & Contemporary Art auctions in Paris on April 16 and 17, 2026.

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