Tracey Emin: Love Is What You Want

The Hayward exhibition brings together key works in all media, including painting, textiles, works on
paper, photography, neon, film and sculpture. Works are arranged either thematically or juxtaposed to
invite new readings of them.

Key films on show include Why I never became a dancer (1995) an account of the end of her
childhood in Margate, and How It Feels (1996). Family and friends are celebrated in many works
including There's a lot of money in chairs (1994), a green upholstered armchair, a legacy from her
grandmother, and the blanket Mad Tracey from Margate. Everyone's been there (1997) made from
pieces of clothing donated by friends. Menphis (2003), an exhibition of memorabilia work originally
staged at the Carl Freedman Gallery, London is recreated as a gallery within a gallery.

In one of the upper galleries are a series of paintings and drawings, including the large scale Black cat
(2008) and an animation, Those who suffer love (2009), created from around 200 drawings which
depicts a woman masturbating. In the other gallery there are recent works in a lighter palette that tend
toward abstraction. This includes Emin's most elaborate neon to date, White Rose (2007), and Salem
(2005), a five metre high tower of reclaimed wood with a white neon running down its length. The
related sculpture Sleeping with You (2005) is shown for the first time in the UK.

As well as the new sculptures, on another of the gallery's sculpture terraces are arranged works from
Baby Things (2008), three small bronzes that resemble abandoned belongings - a bear, a shoe and a
sock.