In 1999, an artwork of a disheveled sofa strewn with condoms and cans of lager sparked a media frenzy and made artist Tracey Emin a celebrity. why? What happened next?
As the world spun towards the 21st century, creative culture was undergoing its own transformation. In London, the city itself was reshaped, and the Young British Artists (also known as the YBAs) were an unruly bunch of rising stars (Tracy Emin, Damien Hirst, Sarah Lucas, Jake and Dinos Chapman among them) embodying a clashing energy. Nightlife. rock and roll. Suddenly, the art scene was making headlines in the global media, and the most controversial and scandalous statement seemed to be… a woman’s bed.
Warning: This article contains language that some people may find offensive
In 1999, Tracey Emin’s My Bed (1998) was shortlisted for the prestigious Turner Prize and exhibited in the magnificent galleries of Tate Britain. A disheveled chaise longue with dirty sheets, strewn about and surrounded by personal detritus, including contraceptives, slippers, bloody period pants, empty vodka bottles, Polaroid selfies and an overflowing ashtray. It replicated the debilitating effects of post-breakup depression when Emin stewed in bed for days before getting up to stare at the mess.
Source: BBC Culture – www.bbc.com
