Trust Yourself 2014

Tracey Emin's neon artworks, like those seen here, were created throughout the 1990s and 2000s in Britain. She uses neon to display confessional phrases and statements. Emin emerged from the Young British Artists scene, which gained notoriety through the patronage of collector Charles Saatchi and exhibitions at spaces like the Royal Academy. This generation often challenged traditional artistic values, embracing a raw and often shocking aesthetic. Emin’s work in particular is deeply personal, exploring themes of love, loss, and female sexuality with unflinching honesty. The choice of neon is significant; traditionally associated with commercial signage, its use here elevates personal thoughts to the level of public pronouncements. Understanding Emin's art requires examining the socio-political context of late 20th century Britain, one marked by increasing individualism and a blurring of public and private spheres. Exploring exhibition reviews, artists' statements, and social commentaries of the time are useful tools for deepening our understanding. In this way, we can understand art as inseparable from the social and institutional forces that shape it.