English artist, Tracey Emin was born on July 03, 1963 in Croydon, London, United Kingdom. She spent most of her introductory years in Margate, Kent, London, and had a tumultuous childhood. Emin's father was a Turkish Cypriot and owned a Hotel in Margate. The living acceptable of the artist's family declined after her father's firm collapsed. Moreover, it was found that he was having an extra marital affAir. Tracey Emin was also raped when she was around fourteen years old. Most of the themes of her paintings are a reflection of these troubled times.
Tracey Emin, one of the so-called Young British Artists (Ybas), also known as Britartists, studied fashion at the Medway College of design, during 1980-82. Here she met Billy Childish, who went on to be her temporary boyfriend until 1987. during this phase, Tracey's paintings were 'Expressionist' in style. Her association with Billy gave rise to 'Stuckism' movement in 1999. She studied printmaking art at the Maidstone Art College (1984), after which she came back to London and did her M.A. In painting in 1987, at the Royal College of Art. The works of Edvard Munch and Egon Schiele significantly influenced her during this time. Later, Tracy Enim also studied philosophy at Birkbeck, University of London. Following her abortion, the artist painted the series, "Abortion Watercolor," in 1990. In 1993, the artist opened a shop, The Shop, in Benthal Green with her contemporary Sarah Lucas. The shop displayed the artworks of the duo. All this while, Tracey Emin was simultaneously working with the gallery owner, Joshua Compston too.
The Artists
In 1994, the artist did her first solo exhibition called "My Major Retrospective," at the White Cube Gallery, London. Here she displayed her earlier works, photographs that she had destroyed, and some random items. This lack of order and unpredictability in her works later became one of her trademarks. By around 1995, Tracey Enim started finding a gallery owner, Carl Freedman. Still unknown to many in the communal domain, Tracey Emin shot to fame and gained requisite notoriety, rivaled only by Damien Hirst of the Yba's, when she apPeared drunk on one of the channel 4 Tv programs in 1997. In 1999, Emin was nominated for Turner prize for one of her most controversial facility works, "My Bed," which was also showcased at the Tate Gallery. Other polemical works by Emin include the tent, "Everyone I Have Ever Slept With (1963-95)" and the monoprint drawings of both the communal and the inexpressive life of Princess Diana, such as "They Wanted You to Be Destroyed (1999)." In 1997, Tracey Emin released her autobiographical film called "Cv Cunt Vernacular," where she recounted in detail, her early days at Margate, her life as a student, and her successes & failures. Later, in 2004, she had a movie released called "Top Spot," which she refused to promote and distribute, as it was given an 18 certificate by the movie censors. In 1999, she converted the beach hut at Whitstable "The Last Thing I Said to You is Don't Leave Me Here." The artwork was destroyed in a fire rage in 2004.
Tracey Emin started concentrating more on painting since 2004. "Purple Virgin (2004)," "Asleep Alone With Legs Open (2005)," "the Reincarnation (2005) series," "Masturbating (2006)," "Rose Virgin (2007)," "Get Ready For The Fuck Of Your Life (2007)," and "Red Girl (2007)," are some of her most noted modern works. In March 2007, the artist was elected as a Royal Academician for the Royal Academy of Arts, London. She represented Britain the same year at the Italian contemporary art exhibition, Venice Biennale. Tracey Emin likes to experiment with any different materials. She conveyed her feelings through different modes, such as neon lights in "You Forgot to Kiss My Soul," fabrics, needlework, sculpture, drawing, video, installation, photography, and paintings. Presently, Tracey Emin teaches confessional art at the EuroPean Graduate School. The artist is passionately complicated in charities too.
Tracey Emin - The Artist and the Innovator