ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Tracey Emin's 'My Bed' at Tate Modern: From Turner Prize Scandal to Preserved Time Capsule

exhibition · 2026-04-07

Tracey Emin's installation 'My Bed,' created in 1998, is currently displayed at Tate Modern's exhibition 'A Second Life,' running until August 31, 2026. This piece, showcasing her unmade bed surrounded by personal belongings, rose to fame in 1999 when it was nominated for the Turner Prize, which was ultimately awarded to Steve McQueen. Emin, associated with the Young British Artists movement, crafted this work during a challenging phase of her life. Initially acquired by gallerist Charles Saatchi, it fetched over £2.5 million at auction in 2014. Prior to its nomination, 'My Bed' was shown in both Japan and New York. Critic Jonathan Jones referred to it as a 'preserved time capsule,' while Emin described it as a depiction of a scene following a bender, highlighting personal decay in contrast to earlier conceptual art.

Key facts

  • Tracey Emin's 'My Bed' (1998) is exhibited at Tate Modern's 'A second life' until August 31, 2026.
  • The installation was shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 1999, won by Steve McQueen.
  • Charles Saatchi originally purchased the work and sold it in 2014 for over £2.5 million to a German industrialist.
  • Emin created the piece during a period of personal struggle with alcoholism.
  • Objects in the installation are now cataloged and stored separately in plastic bags for preservation.
  • Critic Jonathan Jones described it as a 'preserved time capsule' and 'the Pompeii of the bohemian avant-garde.'
  • The work was shown in Japan and New York prior to its Turner Prize nomination.
  • Emin's practice is intensely autobiographical, with related works including 'Everyone I have ever slept with 1963-1965' (1997).

Entities

Artists

Institutions

Locations

  • London
  • United Kingdom
  • Japan
  • New York
  • United States
  • Germany
  • Croydon
  • Waterloo
  • Tokyo
  • Margate

Sources

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