#tracyemin

BEDS inspired by Tracy Emin.

Link to Tate moderns video of Tracy Emin walking you through her thought process - https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/emin-my-bed-l03662/tracey-emin-my-bed

  I wanted to show a bed in a raw, natural and realistic light, in homage to Tracy Emins’ artwork named ‘My bed’. 

 The idea for ‘My bed’ was inspired by a sexual yet depressive phase in Tracy Emins life. 

 Tracy Emin created this piece in 1998 and was it was exhibited at the Tate Gallery in 1999. Famously this work was one of the shortlisted pieces for the Turner Prize. Although not winning this prize, her work is timeless and it is still relevant now.

 When studying the photograph of the artwork, you can see the remains of vodka bottles, worn undergarments and old used condoms. These are just a few visual examples of the level of depression, Tracy Emin, would had been feeling at this moment in her life. All of the items placed around the bed convey strong dark emotions and evidence that her depression was greatly impacting her day to day life. We can tell Tracy Emin was desensitised to the way she was living. The way the bed looks with how unkept it is shows she normalised living in such an unhealthy way.

 I wanted to photograph a bed in a raw, natural and realistic light, in homage to Tracy Emins’ artwork.

 This photograph I shoot was taken at a horse rescue farm, farmhouse up in Battle. This was taken in the main bedroom, I knew it would have a bedroom which was only in use for sleep, as this couple who owned the farm were elderly however busy full time workers keeping the farm in top condition.  I took a series of photos, however the one I show to you is the photo I feel gives off a strong atmosphere of comfort, tiredness and warmth. This is all for a very strong reason. I know the family to this house very well, the photo will always send chills up my spine. It makes me feel a certain way that I can not even describe.

 You can see clear signs that this bed is worn in, ruffled and decrepit. It is a bed which has brought life into the world and sadly let life pass through it too. It isn't uncommon for people to pass in their happy place while sleeping, which just happens to be beds. 

 This bed I photographed has seen so much, seen people come and go and has given comfort to this who need it. I have the light shining through, bouncing off the creases in the sheets implying it has not been changed in a while. Towels hanging from the radiator just clinging on. Further more it makes you wonder if they didn't have the time or just couldn't be bothered to hang it correctly. The muted, dull colours of this room make it feel aged  implying they would never want to change the way the place looks. This is thought provoking as we now would wonder why have they never changed this room. Why is it untidy. When you come to the realisation that this is not a photo of any bed, this is a photo of someones unfortunate deathbed.

 Their time came, and it has never been touched since. 

I had the pleasure but complete sadness to capture this through my lens. even at a glance at my photograph you get a sense what it would be like to be in the room in real life. the tones give the sensation of complete silence and the overall interior of the room feels lifeless. 

 Although Tracy Emin was having her own dark space, it shows that beds are important to people, and it is a place where people want to remain forever and somethings just that happens.

Beds are for love, warmth and recovery. But most importantly are for the cycle of life.

 Tracy Emin named her work ‘My bed’

 I name my work ‘Their deathbed’