Tracey Emin, the renowned British artist and former YBA, is the subject of a major new exhibition titled "Sex and Solitude" at the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, Italy—the first comprehensive show of her work in the country. Curated by the museum's director general Arturo Galansino, the exhibition features some 60 works spanning 30 years, including paintings, drawings, film, photography, embroidery, sculptures, and neon installations. Emin created a new neon piece for the facade, and many works are being shown in Italy for the first time. In a video interview, she emphasized the show is not a retrospective but a living, present-focused exploration of her themes of sexuality, love, trauma, and solitude.
This exhibition matters because it marks a significant institutional recognition of Emin's career in Italy, a country where her work has rarely been shown at scale. It also highlights her enduring influence as a confessional artist who has shaped contemporary conversations around sexuality, trauma, and the body. The show's intimate focus on sex and solitude, paired with Emin's recent health struggles and candid reflections on love and celibacy, underscores her continued relevance and emotional depth as an artist. For the art world, it reaffirms the Palazzo Strozzi's role as a venue for major contemporary figures and signals ongoing international interest in the YBA generation.