Singing Bird by Tracey Emin

In Tracey Emin’s work, birds hold deep symbolic meaning, representing freedom, spirituality, and emotional connection. She views birds as “angels of the earth,” using them to express themes of solitude, inner strength, and spiritual journeys. The bird motif in her work conveys vulnerability and contemplation, with the creatures soaring high or perching quietly on branches. Meanwhile, Emin depicts phalluses as autonomous entities separated from the body, suggesting themes of independence and transformation. This imagery often appears alongside her bird motifs, creating a complex dialogue between masculine and feminine symbolism. Her bird illustrations are particularly significant in expressing emotional states and personal experiences.

Among the YBA’s most celebrated names, Tracey Emin has established herself as an artist of great depth and variety. Among others, her works are held in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate Gallery in London, and the Goetz Collection in Munich. Most known for her autobiographical work, which focuses on self-interrogation, her most celebrated and controversial pieces are those which examine turbulent childhood experiences and sexual history. This image was initially developed by Emin as a limited edition temporary tattoo to be distributed at the British Consulate as a gift to the attendees of the 2007 Venice Biennale. A symbol of the rebellion at the heart of the YBA movement, this work speaks to Emin’s wicked humour and impertinence towards authority.

The piece was never commercially available – it was presented by the British Consulate as a gift to the attendees of the Biennale Venice in 2007.

1,500 were believed to have been produced, however due to the nature of the item (a stick on tattoo, few are believed to have survived).