Tracey Emin – My Bed 1998

My bed was the piece that Tracey Emin submitted when she was nominated for the Turner prize in 1999. The piece was created as the direct result from a mental break down Emin had suffered from in 1998. She spent four days in bed sleeping and semi-unconsious. when she eventually left the bed and returned she couldn’t believe the state it was in, a complete mess and decay of her life. She removed it from her home and into a gallery space, leaving it in the state that she had gotten into. Empty bottles, cigarette butts, stained sheets, used underwear and more clutter the space around the bed. Revealing the bed as a piece of artwork she is showing the public that she is imperfect and insecure much like other people.