In my Family When Someone Dies they are Cremated and their Ashes are Thrown Across the Sea 1997

Editor: Tracey Emin's installation, "In my Family When Someone Dies they are Cremated and their Ashes are Thrown Across the Sea," features these stark, white birds suspended in flight. They evoke a sense of peace, but also loss. What symbols do you see at play in this piece? Curator: The birds, of course, immediately suggest freedom, the soul's release. But consider the colour – white is often associated with purity, but also with mourning in some cultures. How does the title inform your interpretation of this symbolism? Editor: It makes me think of those birds as souls of the departed, carried away by the sea. Curator: Precisely. Emin uses this imagery to tap into our collective understanding of grief and remembrance, and how we project our emotions onto the natural world. Editor: That's a beautiful way to put it; it makes the experience of loss feel universal.