Struggle and Pain. Tracey Emin: The Beauty of Sin and the Fragility of the Vulnerable

This article, written in light of the latest news on Tracey Emin, the British artist who faced a barrage of criticism of every kind when her work was shortlisted for the Turner Prize, focuses on the artist's most significant creations, considering their meaning then and now. At present, Emin and her work My Bed (1998) once again find themselves in the cultural media spotlight after the piece reached (sic)2.2 million at Christie's Auction House following the sale by the Saatchi Gallery. The revelation has reopened the debate which started when the work was unveiled and presents the opportunity to examine how the wound inflicted on traditional British decency has healed. Sufficient time has passed to make a reliable assessment of the reach and impact of the work and consider what has become of the controversy it originally sparked. Alongside a critique of My Bed, the article will look at the factors which have proved most decisive in shaping the artist's work including influential works of art and aspects of Emin's life.