It was only later when i did find out about rothko and read about rothko that i thought, oh my god, how. and then i realised something, very early on, that art, true art should resonate, should make you feel. it is not a picture, it is not a thing, is not an object, it is a true entity, a true thing that has energy, that comes from somewhere, that s what makes it art. if you talk to people on the street and ask them who tracey emin is, they would probably associate you with my bed, or the other work, the tent, which is called everyone i ever slept with, 1963-1995. do you think the painting has been overlooked? no, i think i have been overlooked, i don t think the painting has been overlooked. i think people didn t understand the seriousness of my work over the past 20 years. i think theyjust thought i was some sort of narcissistic,
Don t know. two, two, what is the word? self. don t know. two, two, what is the word? self. up my own backside, that is what word? self. up my own backside, that is what i word? self. up my own backside, that is what i was word? self. up my own backside, that is what i was going word? self. up my own backside, that is what i was going to - word? self. up my own backside, that is what i was going to say. - that is what i was going to say. yeah, definitely, ya. ithoughti was too good to be an extra in fools and horses. it would have been classic be brilliant. especially with my mum. so, you know, like, this is a serious point. as an artist, you re supposed to be really serious but i take my work really seriously. if anyone tries to knock my work and take the mickey out of my work and take the mickey out of my work and take the mickey out of my work i come down on them like a tonne of bricks but that doesn t mean to say that i have to take me so seriously. it doesn t mean that ha
Surface than they implode and there is an even greater problem. i don t know you are undoubtedly one of the most successful and respected artists in this country if not the world. but as you have already acknowledged your faced division and abuse for years for the sort of work you made. abuse for years for the sort of work ou made. ., abuse for years for the sort of work you made- abuse for years for the sort of work ou made. ., ~ ., ., ., i. you made. you know, what drove you on durin: you made. you know, what drove you on during those you made. you know, what drove you on during those times? you made. you know, what drove you on during those times? i you made. you know, what drove you on during those times? i have - on during those times? i have nothin: on during those times? i have nothing else. on during those times? i have nothing else. that s on during those times? i have nothing else. that s it. - on during those times? i have nothing else. that s it. that s| on durin
Really difficult, very personal issues. what has driven you to have the confidence to be so can verdict? if i had children everything and my children were at school i think i would be censored. i would have to self centre. i haven t. my whole childhood, i have no barriers. i could do whatever i wanted. i did not have to go to school. i did not have to brush my teeth. i can do whatever i wanted. and it has been like that throughout my life as an artist. i have done what i wanted to do. i have decided, as i am older, if my work isn t going to be hung in the best museums in the world because it is about rape or it is about abortion or it is about taboo subjects, then so what? it doesn t matter. my art still exists i will continue to make it and about the subjects that i think are important either they are subjects you should not be speaking about her talking about. because they re still there. and if they are not brought to the