Tracey Emin: Those who suffer Love at White Cube

Contamination of the Soul by Tracey Emin

White Cube is currently preparing for an exhibit of Tracey Emin’s work. The exhibit, titled Those who suffer Love, will feature a number of recent works by Emin including a new series that has been described as erotic drawings. Those who suffer Love at White Cube will mark Tracey Emin’s first exhibition in London in over four years.

In a press release Emin stated that the meaning behind the title of the show is “self-explanatory” and that “Love rarely comes easily and if it does, it usually goes quite quickly.”. The exhibit opens on May 29th and will come to a close on July 4th, 2009. For more information visit, www.whitecube.com

UK’s National Portrait Gallery wants Marc Quinn’s Blood…

Self (1991) by Marc Quinn, via Culture Loves Us

I learned from ArtObserved that the National Portrait Gallery desires Marc Quinn‘s blood-- or should I say ‘Self‘. White Cube Gallery has offered the most recent version of Self to the National Portrait Gallery for £350,000 even though the open market value for the piece is quoted at £1.5 million. The National Portrait Gallery has been able to secure £150,000 in order to acquire the ‘blood head’. Thus, the National Portrait Gallery will need to come up with £200,000 in order to have Marc Quinn’s blood where they want it. Time is short-- they only have until December 31st to finalize the deal.

Self (1991) is considered to be Quinn’s signature piece. One could say that it launched his rise into the upper levels of the art world. For those who don’t know, Self is a frozen sculpture of the artist's head made from 9.5-- though some sources state 10-- pints of his own blood. Quinn secured the raw material-- in this case his own blood-- from his body over a period of 5 months. The original Self was bought by Charles Saatchi in 1991 for a reputed £13,000.

I realize that I’ve been rather harsh to Marc Quinn lately-- ok, maybe really harsh , but his Self is a piece that I actually admire. In my opinion, Self has a universal appeal that a golden statue of a fading cover girl will never have.

Links of Interest:

National Portrait Gallery criticised over purchase of Marc Quinn’s Blood Head [TimesUK]

National Portrait Gallery Raises Money for Self-Portrait Made From Frozen Blood [ArtInfo]

Museum needs £200,000 for Marc Quinn’s blood portrait [The Art Newspaper]

Take Care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
Senior Editor
www.myartspace.com