Tracey Emin: A Second Life is a major exhibition at Tate Modern that charts over four decades of one of Britain’s most influential contemporary artists. Bringing together career-defining works alongside pieces never exhibited before, the show offers an expansive and deeply personal insight into Emin’s groundbreaking practice.
Spanning painting, video, textiles, neons, writing, sculpture, and large-scale installation, A Second Life reveals how Tracey Emin has continuously challenged artistic and social boundaries. Central to the exhibition is her use of the female body as a powerful vehicle for exploring themes of passion, vulnerability, pain, resilience, and healing.
Dame Tracey Emin rose to international prominence in the 1990s, becoming one of the defining figures of her generation. Her Turner Prize–nominated work My Bed (1998) ignited fierce debate, radically questioning what art could be and who it was for. Emin’s refusal to separate the personal from the public—combined with her unapologetically confessional voice—came to define a pivotal moment in British culture and global contemporary art.
Tracey Emin: A Second Life broadens the narrative of her career, celebrating an artistic practice rooted in autobiography, emotional honesty, and lived experience. The exhibition poses profound questions about love, trauma, memory, and survival, while highlighting Emin’s lifelong dedication to painting. Her recent works, shown here as a powerful culmination, demonstrate how she continues to channel her life directly into her art with renewed intensity and clarity.
Presented in the Eyal Ofer Galleries at Tate Modern, the exhibition is organised in partnership with Gucci, with additional support from the Tracey Emin Exhibition Supporters Circle and Tate Members.
| Tracey Emin: A Second Life is presented in the Eyal Ofer Galleries. In partnership with Gucci. With additional support from the Tracey Emin Exhibition Supporters Circle and Tate Members. Tracey Emin: A Second Life runs from 27th February to 31st August, 2026 at Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG Find more information and book tickets here. |
