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Tracey Emin's iconic art
The controversial artist's most famous work
Turner Prize nominee Tracey Emin is one of the most successful and acclaimed contemporary female British artists. Associated with Charles Saatchi and the Young Britist Artist movement in the 1990s, she attracted media controversy for the highly personal nature of her work (covering everything from an abortion at 16, to her past lovers), and provocative behaviour (including a swearing outburst on live television). As Stylist's cover star this week - and to celebrate her new solo exhibition at the Turner Contemporary in Margate - we look back at some of Emin's most iconic artwork.
Click on an image to launch the gallery and let us know your thoughts on Twitter or in the comments section below
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There's A Lot Of Money In C…
This was Tracey's grandmother's armchair, into… More details
There's A Lot Of Money In Chairs, 1994
This was Tracey's grandmother's armchair, into which she sewed countless personal details, from her and her twin brother’s names, to the nicknames the artist and her grandmother had for each other. Emin famously used the chair on a trip to the United States in 1994 promoting her book - and sat in it for readings.
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Everyone I Have Ever Slept …
Bought by Charles Saatchi and shown at the… More details
Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963-1995, 1995
Bought by Charles Saatchi and shown at the Sensation exhibition at the Royal Academy in 1997, this tent appliqued with former lover's names (including relatives, her twin brother and two aborted children) attracted much media controversy. In 2004, the tent was destroyed in the Momart warehouse fire (this photograph is actually a reproduction of the original work).
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Light Installation, 1998
A controversial neon work by Emin. More details
Light Installation, 1998
A controversial neon work by Emin.
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My Bed, 1999
In 1999, Emin was nominated for the Turner Prize… More details
My Bed, 1999
In 1999, Emin was nominated for the Turner Prize and exhibited My Bed at the Tate Gallery. The sheets of the bed were stained yellow, and the floor was covered in debris such as condoms, knickers and cigarette packets.
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The Last Thing I Said To Yo…
The blue wooden beach hut Emin bought with her… More details
The Last Thing I Said To You Is Don't Leave Me Here, 1999
The blue wooden beach hut Emin bought with her artist friend Sarah Lucas, was removed from Whitstable to be part of the Saatchi collection.
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Kate Moss, 2000
Emin is well known for her monoprints - here she… More details
Kate Moss, 2000
Emin is well known for her monoprints - here she has depicted Kate Moss in the nude. Tracey also created a unique neon work for her supermodel friend called Moss Kin.
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I've Got It All, 2000
This self-portrait adresses the artist’s desire… More details
I've Got It All, 2000
This self-portrait adresses the artist’s desire for money and success and the use of her body and her emotional life to produce art.
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Helter Skelter, 2001
This 20ft centrepiece was a version of the… More details
Helter Skelter, 2001
This 20ft centrepiece was a version of the 70-year-old helter-skelter in Margate's Dreamland fun park.
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Something Really Terrible, …
This blanket is about the loss of an unwanted… More details
Something Really Terrible, 2001
This blanket is about the loss of an unwanted child.
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The Perfect Place to Grow, …
This video installation had a set consisting of a… More details
The Perfect Place to Grow, 2001
This video installation had a set consisting of a wooden birdhouse, a DVD shot on Super 8, a monitor, trestle, plants, and a wooden ladder. The work was dedicated to Emin's father.
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Helter Fucking Skelter, 2001
This blanket was made with hotel linens. More details
Helter Fucking Skelter, 2001
This blanket was made with hotel linens.
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A Name They Called Our Dad,…
This handwritten and embroidered piece was… More details
A Name They Called Our Dad, 2002
This handwritten and embroidered piece was submitted for an auction in aid of the Terrence Higgins Trust.
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To Meet My Past, 2002
This work was exhibited as part of the V&A's… More details
To Meet My Past, 2002
This work was exhibited as part of the V&A's Quilts 1700-2010 exhibition, showing British quilts made over the past 300 years. In To Meet My Past Emin has created a young girl's bed replete with uncomfortable truths and memories.
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Hate And Power Can Be A Ter…
This large scale blanket was inspired in part by… More details
Hate And Power Can Be A Terrible Thing, 2004
This large scale blanket was inspired in part by Margaret Thatcher.
Emin said of this work that it was "about the kind of women I hate, the kind of women I have no respect for, women who betray and destroy the hearts of other women".
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Something For The Children,…
This kitsch shed was created for the V&A's… More details
Something For The Children, 2004
This kitsch shed was created for the V&A's exhibition of ten garden sheds by contemporary artists and designers.
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Roman Standard, 2005
Emin's first ever piece of public art, this… More details
Roman Standard, 2005
Emin's first ever piece of public art, this pigeon was comissioned to celebrate Liverpool's status as European Capital of Culture, and displayed in Anglican Cathedral, Liverpool.
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Keep me Safe, 2006
In 2007, Keep me Safe reached the highest price… More details
Keep me Safe, 2006
In 2007, Keep me Safe reached the highest price ever made for one of Emin's neon works - over £60,000.
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Oh So Natural, 2006
Earthernware pots ready to be auctioned at the… More details
Oh So Natural, 2006
Earthernware pots ready to be auctioned at the London Art Fair.
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Angel, 2007
At the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition in… More details
Angel, 2007
At the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition in 2007, Tracey Emin showed this neon artwork. She was chosen as a Royal Academician in that year.
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Borrowed Lights, 2007
Emin was chosen to produce work for the British… More details
Borrowed Lights, 2007
Emin was chosen to produce work for the British pavilion during the Venice Biennale in 2007.
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One Secret Is To Save Every…
Tracey Emin unveils her flag commissioned as part… More details
One Secret Is To Save Everything, 2007
Tracey Emin unveils her flag commissioned as part of the Flag project at the South Bank Centre, London. The banner was made up of hand-sewn swimming sperm.
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Something for the Future, 2008
When the Mayor of London put out a request for… More details
Something for the Future, 2008
When the Mayor of London put out a request for artists to create a piece of contemporary art for the fourth plinth in Trafalger Square, Emin's proposal was for this group of meerkats.
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Her New Travelling Chess Se…
Emin was comissioned to create this chess set by… More details
Her New Travelling Chess Set, 2008
Emin was comissioned to create this chess set by RS&A. The set is made up of bronze pieces and a multicoloured board of quilted fabric that can be rolled up and placed inside an embroidered cloth bag.
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Glove, 2008
One of Emin's pieces in her Baby Things… More details
Glove, 2008
One of Emin's pieces in her Baby Things exhibition in Folkestone.
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Love Turtle, 2008
One of Emin's many charitable artworks, this is a… More details
Love Turtle, 2008
One of Emin's many charitable artworks, this is a detail from a surfboard she designed for Surfers Against Sewage. It was then auctioned at Bonhams to raise funds for the charity.
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Tracey Emin, 2009
This neon work was displayed at Emin's exhibition… More details
Tracey Emin, 2009
This neon work was displayed at Emin's exhibition Those Who Suffer Love at the White Cube gallery in May 2009.
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I Want It Back That Feeling…
For the Royal Academy's summer exhibition, Emin… More details
I Want It Back That Feeling Again, 2009
For the Royal Academy's summer exhibition, Emin showed a painting of a piglet.
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Tracey Emin, 2009
Emin in front of a large scale drawing displayed… More details
Tracey Emin, 2009
Emin in front of a large scale drawing displayed at Those Who Suffer Love at the White Cube gallery - her first show in London for four years.
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I Lost You, 2009
This work formed part of Do Not Abandon Me, an… More details
I Lost You, 2009
This work formed part of Do Not Abandon Me, an exhibition consisting of collaborations between Emin and the late female artist Louise Bourgeois.
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Tracey Emin, 2009
For the exhibition Earth: Art of a Changing World… More details
Tracey Emin, 2009
For the exhibition Earth: Art of a Changing World at the Royal Academy, Emin embroidered representations of flowers, insects and birds.
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