One of the most famous British artworks of the past quarter century, Tracey Emin's My Bed is set to auction with Christie's for a new record sum.
 The bed is one of the defining works of the Young British Artists movement, known for its shock tactics |
The bed, a bleak tribute to a debauched stage in Emin's life, divided opinion after receiving a Turner Prize nomination when it was created in 1999.
It is now expected to sell for between £800,000-1.2m ($1.3m-2m) in London on July 1, fresh from the collection of renowned dealer Charles Saatchi.
In October 2013, Emin's To Meet My Past, another bed, set the auction record for her work when it made £481,875 ($770,518) in London.
My Bed was apparently the result of a period of suicidal depression following a traumatic break-up for Emin, who spent a week wallowing in misery in the bed.
"In My Bed (1998) Tracey Emin shares with us her most personal space, revealing a dark moment from her life story with startling honesty and raw emotion," commented Christie's Francis Outred, head of post-war and contemporary art.
"My Bed transformed the way the general public engage with contemporary art, and because of this, is one of the most important British works of art of the 20th century."
Tracey Emin was one of the lead figures in the Young British Artists (YBA) movement, a group of artists known for their shock tactics whose careers were nurtured by Saatchi. Also included in the sale is the inimitable Damien Hirst.
We have a superb signed original drawing by Damien Hirst available for just £3,950 ($6,610).
