On Monday past I went to Edinburgh with Beverley and Gary. I wanted to visit the Tracey Emin retrospective at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. Tracey Emin has always intrigued me and I am quite fond of her in terms of her TV appearances. However, going by a few opinions of friends who had visited her retrospective before me, I had a feeling I would not be overawed by it. This was the case. People always say you will either love or hate her/her work – there is no in between. I like her, or her celebrity personality her, that we see on TV – not love, like. Her artwork? I did not love it, but I did not hate it. I most definitely am in between. I do not dislike her artwork, but I just find nothing in it which inspires me. I guess it does tug at certain heartstrings, possibly because I am female, but at the same time I have a “….and?” viewpoint to it. I would say it is very self indulgent – but you could argue all artists are guilty of that. I do like her blankets in terms of constructions, but the content does not necessarily hold my interest, the same regarding the rollercoaster. I liked the drawings with the birds. I like how her work was framed. But overall? I just have no strong opinion on it. I accept it for what it is, for what she is saying in it but at the same time I just feel well … what is the point? Although that sounds harsh, I can see the point, it is just a point that seems to be repeated an awful lot, and seems to be caught in a cycle that cannot be broken, or the choice has been taken not to break it.

I am however very glad it happened in Edinburgh, as that enabled me to visit it. (Having no money makes visiting exhibitions out with my local area impossible!) Whatever my thoughts and feelings regarding it, being able to visit such a retrospective makes me quite grateful, firstly for the very fact I get to see Tracey Emin’s artwork, but secondly, because in doing so my opinion is based on actually seeing her artwork through my own eyes, and not second hand sources and opinions.