ARTIST Tracey Emin last night sold her controversial unmade bed artwork for
£2.54million.
My Bed was snapped up by art dealer Jay Jopling, founder of the White Cube
Gallery, at London auction house Christie’s – smashing Emin’s previous
record of £481,000 for a piece at auction.
The artwork – a 1999 Turner prize nomination – features Emin’s messed-up duvet
and littered floor including empty vodka bottles, cigarette butts and
discarded condoms.
It represents Emin’s traumatic relationship break-down and was created in her
Waterloo council flat in 1998.
The piece divided opinion in the art world – but was snapped up by Charles
Saatchi in 2000 for £150,000.
Francis Outred, from Christie’s, told a press conference after the sale: “I
think it will end up going to a very good place.
“We can’t announce it but I think it is going to end up somewhere important so
watch this space for an announcement.”
Emin, 50, was later said to be delighted at the sale of one of the key works
of the 1990s Young British Artist (YBA) movement.
She grinned and hugged a friend when Lot 19 was sold, before leaving a short
time later.