Artist Tracey Emin to auction painting with Christies to raise funds for new TKE Studios in Margate

Like a Cloud of Blood by Tracey Emin

One of the first paintings by Margate-based artist Tracey Emin created following her cancer treatment will be auctioned to raise funds for her new artist studio complex in former Victorian baths and former morgue in Dane Road/Victoria Road.

Like a Cloud of Blood is expected to fetch between £500,000 and £700,000 when it is auctioned by Christies next month.

The painting represents a return to the creative process for Emin, and an intimate vision of her recent experience which she is offering to establish a future for artists in her home town

The TKE Studios will also launch in October. The studios are titled with an abbreviation of the artist’s full name, Tracey Karima Emin.

Photo Frank Leppard

The aim is for the  studio complex and residency programme to foster new generations of talent, and to create a thriving artistic hub in Margate.

The painting will be on view in London from 6 to 13 October, ahead of the 20th / 21st Century: Evening Sale, which takes place on 13 October.

Photo Frank Leppard

Emin, who last month was awarded as a Freewoman of the town, has become a passionate advocate for Margate since returning in 2017 after buying part of the former Thanet Press site in Margate and converting it into an artist’s studio and flat.

With 12 subsidised professional artist studios, a rigorous exhibition cycle and two-year residencies for 15-20 students with free studios, tutorials and lectures, Emin hopes to create an inspirational ‘artists’ haven’ at the TKE Studios.

She said: “I don’t want to die being an artist that made really interesting work. I want to make a future. If my art can make something happen for the future, then I’m doing the right thing. I’ve been all the way around the world in all directions and come back again. And this, Margate, is what I’ve chosen.”

Katharine Arnold, Head of Post-War and Contemporary Art, Christie’s Europe: “Throughout her career, Tracey Emin has invited viewers to share in the most intimate aspects of her life. With extraordinary candour and a vivid vision, in Like a Cloud of Blood she lets us in to her world following her cancer diagnosis.

“The searing honesty we are accustomed to in her oeuvre resonates with her audience even more so in this painting. It is a renewed vigour for life that has driven Tracey to create this unparalleled opportunity for artists in her home town and it is a great honour to help her realise this project by offering the painting as a highlight in the 20th / 21st Century: London Evening Sale.”

Painted in her first wave of creativity after her recovery from bladder cancer in 2020, Like a Cloud of Blood captures the powerful release of emotion and energy she experienced after a long period of being unable to make art.

Find Christies here

60 Comments

    • Thank you Tracey.
      Not a fan but she is internationally recognised.
      Emin’s works are held in the collections of: MoMA in New York City; the Tate Gallery in London, UK; and the Goetz Collection in Munich, Germany; among others

        • Sure… as soon as galleries around the world destroy works by Pablo Picasso (who called women machines for suffering), Balthus (who sexualized prepubescent girls) and Gauguin (a pedophile who had three child brides in Tahiti).

          Alternatively, we can seperate the art from the artist.

          A few years back, someone wrote a book on ‘Top Of The Pops’ without even mentioning Jimmy Savile, despite the fact that he gave the show its name and hosted more editions than any other presenter. Rightly, the book got slammed because of this air-brushing of history. NO such censorship in my books (my latest one on Glam Rock includes reviews of several Gary Glitter albums).

          Meanwhile, I think I’ll hang on to my sketch by Rolf Harris, which is not only a very small part of art history, but also part of local history too: he did it for a friend of mine during a visit to Thanet some years back.

  1. I think it’s wonderful that Tracey supports her home town but £500k to £700k?? Wow I wish I had taken up art when I left school. It turns out I did have a real talent 😂. But seriously Tracey I am sure that the people of Margate are very grateful for your support and for that we should be grateful ❤️

  2. Oh bless her , she went back to nursery school to do this, 50p at a boot fair ,would be extreme amount ,to pay for thanks rubbish

  3. it just shows the times we live in , people must have more money than sense ! if a child did this at school they would be put in a detention – she must laugh all the way to the bank !

    • Wow ….🥺So you are the person who suppresses the children who attempt to express themselves. Do you not tire from giving detentions or is it that you need to suppress children with detention because you have been detained in some way? May be the child has been punished enough why do you see it right to punish the punished? And who are you to detain anyone? Do you hold the right to cast detentions? You are pretty scary … your thought process 😳Or is that what you want to do scare the innocent children into stopping doing art! 🫣

  4. Art is never everyone’s cup of tea and though many people, myself included, would not give that wallspace, there are many people who would and would happily pay what most of us would call a ridiculous amount of money for it. Good on you Tracey for finding that niche and reinvesting in Margate.

      • Aww Robert Edwards …Is that it?? Is that all you have? A tiny little comment….. that in your humble, in attempt to cast a net of bitterness….
        You have zero influence over people is this a problem to you?
        The one problem you may have with casting such aspersions… is this…” He whom casts aspersion has the burden of proof “.( Woolmington v dpp 1935).

        • Diane, we have no need of proof when commenting on con-artists. It is self-evident.
          When absolute rubbish is passed off as art then we know something is wrong.
          I can only conclude that anyone who thinks Tracey Emin’s offerings have any real value art-wise is in urgent need of psychiatric treatment.

  5. Art is food for the soul.

    There seems to be a lot of posters who are established art critics in their house slippers.

    Still…they have always the TV soaps to fall back on.

  6. Well done Tracy. Putting the money for your art into helping young artists. Tracy painted Like a Cloud of Blood following her cancer diagnosis and her journey through fighting that cancer is inspirational.

    • Why are you representing the bitterness of a toxic poison ? Please mind what you say. Or May be do not say anything at all! Or a tad more like “Bambi” “ If you haven’t got anything nice to say don’t say it at all!”. Thank you.

    • You phrase is an idiom.
      Do you not realise there are some things in life money cannot buy. Please attempt to ‘up’ your tone as money is only pieces of paper. However, the passion and love that so many RESPECT with the amazing actions you comment on are second to none. I am overwhelmed by such event’s. I wish you happiness. For an event such as this has so much love surrounding it the only true way to see is with a good heart. This is a beautiful +ve event don’t bring -ve in.

  7. Great and significant gesture. Most people criticising Tracey Probably have a “live, laugh, love” pic hanging somewhere in their house and a generic black and white Pebble triptych pride of place in the lounge. Art is subjective and clearly there is a demand for her work. Don’t hate the player hate the game…. If you have to hate anything.

  8. I think it’s a breath-taking piece of art and worth far more. And amazing that the proceeds are being invested in Margate for the benefit of others. Truly inspiring.

  9. Great news, Tracey has brought a lot of money and interest into Margate. Lots of very opinionated people in the comments once again. Modern art isn’t to everybodies taste but a strong reaction is better than no reaction at all.

    Job done.

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