Tracey Emin

Directing

Tracey Emin

Born 1963-07-03 · Croydon, Surrey, England, UK

Tracey Emin is an English artist known for her autobiographical and confessional artwork. Emin produces work in a variety of media including drawing, painting, sculpture, film, photography, neon text and sewn appliqué. Once the "enfant terrible" of the Young British Artists in the 1980s, Tracey Emin is now a Royal Academician of the Royal Academy of Arts.

Acting credits

Rachel Whiteread: Ghost in the Room poster
NR

An intimate portrait of British sculptor Rachel Whiteread as she unpacks her life's work for a major retrospective at Tate Britain in London. Her work explores themes of memory and absence, casting sculptural forms from familiar domestic objects small and large, from sinks and hot water bottles to living rooms - and a terraced house.

Rachel Whiteread: Ghost in the Room

2017

Turner: The Secret Sketchbooks poster
9.0

This groundbreaking documentary unlocks the hidden psychology of J.M.W. Turner through his 37,000 private sketches, drawings, and watercolours – an extraordinary archive that reveals the man behind the masterpieces. For the first time on television, these pages – Including erotic sketches previously thought to have been destroyed – are used as a window into Turner’s inner world, exposing his private thoughts, creative obsessions and emotional life. Rarely writing about himself, Turner left behind few clues to his personality. But in his sketchbooks, his restless imagination and vulnerabilities come vividly to life. They guide viewers through Turner’s life and art, revealing how his 37,000 sketches not only chart his creative evolution but also provide an unprecedented psychological portrait of a man both visionary and vulnerable.

Turner: The Secret Sketchbooks

2025

Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon poster
6.1

In the 1960s, British painter Francis Bacon surprises a burglar and invites him to share his bed. The burglar, a working class man named George Dyer, accepts. After the unique beginning to their love affair, the well-connected and volatile artist assimilates Dyer into his circle of eccentric friends, as Dyer's struggle with addiction strains their bond.

Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon

1998

George Michael: Freedom Uncut poster
7.3

Freedom Uncut chronicles the tumultuous — yet creatively fruitful — period of George Michael’s life and career following the release of his 1987 solo debut, Faith, then through the creation and release of his 1990 follow-up Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1. Along with documenting his creative efforts during this period, the doc will also explore his relationship with Anselmo Feleppa — who died from AIDS-related complications — as well as the death of Michael’s mother.

George Michael: Freedom Uncut

2022

Gaga for Dada: The Original Art Rebels poster
5.0

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the surreal art movement, comedian Jim Moir (a.k.a. Vic Reeves) presents this documentary exploring the history of Dadism and the lasting influence it has had on himself and others.

Gaga for Dada: The Original Art Rebels

2016

The 90s: Ten Years That Changed the World poster
8.7

Documentary that outlines the 1990s and the decade the changed the world.

The 90s: Ten Years That Changed the World

2015

The Coronation Concert poster
6.0

Take That, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Andrea Bocelli, Sir Bryn Terfel, Freya Ridings and many more perform live from Windsor Castle in celebration of Their Majesties' coronation.

The Coronation Concert

2023

George Michael: Freedom poster
7.3

This documentary covers the span of George Michael's entire career, concentrating on the formative period in the late Grammy® Award winner’s life and career, leading up to and following the making of his acclaimed, best-selling album “Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1” and his subsequent, infamous High Court battle with his record label that followed, while also becoming poignantly personal about the death of his late partner and first love, Anselmo Feleppa.

George Michael: Freedom

2017

Pet Shop Boys: A New Bohemia poster
9.0

Following the release of All of Us Strangers, acclaimed British filmmaker Andrew Haigh shoots Tracey Emin and Russell Tovey alongside the Pet Shop Boys in the music video for new single A New Bohemia, taken from their latest album Nonetheless – released on Parlophone, and premiering exclusively on NOWNESS. Discussing the project, Andrew Haigh said, “I have loved the Pet Shop Boys since the release of Please. I have every album and have seen them play live many times over the years. Getting to make a music video with them has been a dream come true.” “We had a lovely sunny day in Margate filming this video with Andrew Haigh, fresh from his success with All of Us Strangers," Pet Shop Boys shared. "Thanks to Andrew and all concerned, in particular the many local residents who took part, including Russell Tovey and Tracey Emin.”

Pet Shop Boys: A New Bohemia

2024

Tracey Emin: Where Do You Draw the Line? poster
NR

Artist Tracey Emin talks to Alan Yentob about her life, from her troubled early years in Margate to a series of breakthroughs in the 1990s.

Tracey Emin: Where Do You Draw the Line?

2018

Art Matters poster
10.0

Join Melvyn Bragg for an insightful journey into why “Art Matters,” With a career spanning over 60 years, Bragg passionately advocates for the importance of the arts as he reflects on his early experiences and engages with influential figures from the artistic world.

Art Matters

2024

What Price Art? By Tracey Emin poster
NR

Why is it that art by male artists always sells for more than that of female artists? Is it subject matter? Is it machismo? Or is it plain old sexism? In this film, Tracey Emin crosses the country on a quest to find out. She meets artists such as Dame Maggi Hambling and Rachel Whiteread; curators such as Norman Rosenthal and gatekeepers such as Oliver Baker from Sotherby's? Have things changed? Or is it society that needs to change before the art market can follow?

What Price Art? By Tracey Emin

2006

Freeze: But is it Art? poster
NR

In 1988, art student Damien Hirst and a group of like-minded associates mounted an exhibition in a building in the East End of London. Entitled Freeze, it was a huge critical and commercial success, propelling Hirst and the group into the spotlight of the avant-garde. More than five years later, Hirst exhibits to international acclaim and is regularly derided in the tabloid press. This portrait of Hirst, which resumes the Omnibus season, is presented as a drug-induced nightmare after Hirst has been put to sleep by a sinister dentist, played by Donald Pleasence. In between interviews with fellow Freeze artists including Angus Fairhurst , Sarah Lucas and Tracey Emin , Hirst is seen preparing Mother and Child Divided, his work for last year's Venice Blennale. The piece consists of a cow and a calf, each sawn in half, pickled in formaldehyde and exhibited in four tanks.

Freeze: But is it Art?

1994

Bridget Riley: Painting the Line poster
NR

With exclusive behind-the-scenes access, seldom-seen footage from the archives and a rare interview with Kirsty Wark, this is the story of a true visionary of British art.

Bridget Riley: Painting the Line

2021

This Is Hardcore poster
NR

Interviews of the cast and crew behind the scene of the music video 'This Is Hardcore' by Pulp

This Is Hardcore

1998

Top Spot poster
5.8

Traumatic experiences shape the lives of a group of teenage girls living in the seaside town of Margate.

Top Spot

2004

Riding for a Fall poster
NR

Referred to as the Golden Mile and shot in slow motion on the beach in Margate, the town Emin grew up in, the artist rides on a horse at sunset while Delroy Wilson’s 'Riding For a Fall' plays.

Riding for a Fall

1998

Why I Never Became a Dancer poster
NR

Emin uses her emotional life as the source and subject matter of her art. This takes the form of narrative or documentation of traumatic events such as the death of a family member or close friend, her rape and her abortions, coupled with the direct expression of such feelings as love, hate, anger, fear and desire. By sharing thoughts and feelings of the type for which people are generally made to feel ashamed, Emin taps into collective experience in an affirmative way.

Why I Never Became a Dancer

1995

Emin & Emin poster
NR

single channel video (shot on Super 8)

Emin & Emin

1996

Emin/Munch: Between the Clock and the Bed poster
NR

This documentary charts the affinities between Edvard Munch’s art and Tracey Emin’s, exploring the many unexpected ways that this godfather of expressionism resonates with one of Britain’s pre-eminent artists.

Emin/Munch: Between the Clock and the Bed

2020

Sometimes the Dress is Worth More Money than the Money poster
9.0

Executed in 2000, this work is number five from an edition of ten

Sometimes the Dress is Worth More Money than the Money

How It Feels poster
NR

"Have you ever regret about not having kids?" - "Yes, I have, Sometimes"

How It Feels

1996

Behind the camera

Top Spot poster
5.8

Traumatic experiences shape the lives of a group of teenage girls living in the seaside town of Margate.

Top Spot

2004

Top Spot poster
5.8

Traumatic experiences shape the lives of a group of teenage girls living in the seaside town of Margate.

Top Spot

2004

Riding for a Fall poster
NR

Referred to as the Golden Mile and shot in slow motion on the beach in Margate, the town Emin grew up in, the artist rides on a horse at sunset while Delroy Wilson’s 'Riding For a Fall' plays.

Riding for a Fall

1998

Tracey Emin C.V. Cunt Vernacular poster
7.8

Emin's video CV is an accompaniment to her work on paper, Tracey Emin CV 1995 (Tate T07632), which is a potted history of the artist's professional and emotional life from conception until 1995. This CV, read aloud by Emin, constitutes the sound-track to the video and provides contrasting background to the visual information on display. As Emin narrates her story of trauma and abuse, mixed with pleasure and success, the video takes the viewer on a journey through the artist's home. The artist is not visibly present in person until the last frames when she appears curled up naked on the floor of her sitting-room at the feet of her mother (who wears black sunglasses and looks away from both her daughter and the camera). Like Emin's handwritten CV, the video constitutes her self-portrait, in this instance adding the component of a journey around the space of her apartment to her narrating voice. -Tate

Tracey Emin C.V. Cunt Vernacular

1997

Why I Never Became a Dancer poster
NR

Emin uses her emotional life as the source and subject matter of her art. This takes the form of narrative or documentation of traumatic events such as the death of a family member or close friend, her rape and her abortions, coupled with the direct expression of such feelings as love, hate, anger, fear and desire. By sharing thoughts and feelings of the type for which people are generally made to feel ashamed, Emin taps into collective experience in an affirmative way.

Why I Never Became a Dancer

1995

Emin & Emin poster
NR

single channel video (shot on Super 8)

Emin & Emin

1996

sperm poster
NR

3 min 40 seconds made in 1997

sperm

1997

Tears of Blood poster
NR

A candid video revealing in vivid detail the stoma Tracey Emin lives with – a pulsing, sunset-red orifice that may be variously identified in the surgent valves, halos and potent reds that punctuate Emin’s paintings.

Tears of Blood

2024

Finding Gold poster
NR

2 minutes and 43 seconds made in 1996

Finding Gold

1996

Sometimes the Dress is Worth More Money than the Money poster
9.0

Executed in 2000, this work is number five from an edition of ten

Sometimes the Dress is Worth More Money than the Money

Sometimes the Dress is Worth More Money than the Money poster
9.0

Executed in 2000, this work is number five from an edition of ten

Sometimes the Dress is Worth More Money than the Money

How It Feels poster
NR

"Have you ever regret about not having kids?" - "Yes, I have, Sometimes"

How It Feels

1996

Homage To Edvard Munch And All My Dead Children poster
NR

2 minutes and 48 seconds made in 1998 filmed in Norway

Homage To Edvard Munch And All My Dead Children

1998