Dame Tracey Emin will present a major retrospective titled 'Tracey Emin: A Second Life' at Tate Modern in London, running from February to August 2026. The exhibition spans 40 years of her career, featuring iconic works like the Turner Prize-nominated 'My Bed' alongside never-before-exhibited pieces across painting, video, textiles, neons, writing, sculpture, and installation. Emin, who rose to prominence in the 1990s, has recently been appointed Dame Commander of the British Empire and continues to invest in artist spaces in Margate.
The exhibition matters because it consolidates Emin's legacy as a boundary-pushing artist who has used the female body to explore passion, pain, and healing for four decades. It also highlights her recent personal journey—surviving bladder cancer and undergoing life-altering surgery—which infuses her latest work with new depth. The show underscores Tate Modern's commitment to celebrating living British artists and reflects Emin's ongoing influence on contemporary art and her philanthropic investments in the Margate arts community.