A Buyer’s Guide To Tracey Emin

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Known for opening up her soul and emptying out her emotions, Tracey Emin prints are defined by their confessional and honest qualities. With exceptional emotional intelligence, she turns all aspects of her personal life into works that are striking and relatable statements.

Tracey Emin’s diaristic drawings are often a starting point for her original works and stunning prints. As part of her broader artistic practice, each of her prints builds a relationship with her drawings – the most intimate of her works.

Emin has engaged with printmaking for many years and regards it as a key medium. She focuses on creating work that hones the potent mix of pain, frustration, love and humour for which she is so well known.

Emin’s prints of her handwriting, birds or squirrels are highly autobiographical and can be seen as self-portraits. She has produced prints for the respected Counter Editions, as well as the Royal Academy, where she is an Academician.

She has said, “I’ve always had a love of printmaking because of the magic and alchemy of it all. You never really know how it’s going to be until you turn the paper over. I think that printmaking is a very intimate practice. These works vary in subject matter but all of them retain a quality of my line”

Emin’s photographic digital prints are also particularly desirable. Works like I’ve Got it All epitomises the spirit of Emin and the YBA movement of the 1990s. Seductive, obscene, fragile and vulnerable, the image of the artist hugging wads of cash and sitting open-legged shovelling coins into her crotch has iconic status. Made after her controversial piece My Bed failed to win the Turner Prize in 1999, I’ve Got It All sticks a finger up to the establishment and publicises her affluence in the face of this loss.

Emin’s digital prints also include editioned photographs of her popular neon artworks. An original neon piece can sell for up to $495,000 (£378,477) with fees, but a lithograph of a neon artwork can cost a few thousand pounds.

Emin’s consistent printmaking has resulted in a healthy catalogue. With accessible prices and small edition numbers generally between 100-200, her prints are part of a fluid marketplace and a great way to begin a collection.

The artist’s popularity knows no bounds and as her career progresses, interest has never waned. She was awarded a CBE in 2012 for services to the arts and her accolades keep building up. An Emin print, therefore, represents a great opportunity to own a part of her legacy that is internationally significant.

Ahead of purchasing a print, it is advisable to check if there is a signature or evidence of an original provenance document.

All of Emin’s prints are signed, numbered and dated by the artist. Where editions have been produced with a gallery such as Counter Editions or White Cube, there will be an authentication certificate.

After you have bought your Emin print, it is essential to look after it properly in order to retain its condition and value.

It is generally recommended that prints are framed behind UV museum-quality glass, with an acid-free mount or backing. Keep a photograph of the signature attached to the back of the frame for your records.

Once framed, keep your print in a mild climate, avoiding temperature extremes and moisture. Direct sunlight should be avoided. If you decide to keep your print unframed, it should be stored flat in a dark environment. Contact MyArtBroker for comprehensive advice about after-purchase care, including shipping and storage.

Prints by Emin are available via auction houses, galleries or private dealers and brokers – whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned collector, it’s important to buy from a trusted source.

MyArtBroker can help you find the right Emin print, at the right price. With our large network of collectors, we are able to locate specific and rare works, as well as checking authenticity and condition. We offer both the sense of trust and comfort that comes with meeting with a specialist personally, as well as the efficiency, transparency and ease of buying online.

Browse our Emin prints for sale.