In the realm of contemporary art, Emin stands as a prominent figure. She is deeply rooted within her own art, down to a point of almost uncomfortable detail (Fanthome). This “confessional” style of art is one that deeply resonates with audiences around the world. With every piece of art that she creates, she documents another aspect of her life (Fanthome). Emin uses this style as a way to not only fuel her creative inspiration but also to create an authenticity to her art that is unique to her and unreplicable. Her popularity lies in her ability to connect celebrity with non-celebrity through confession. People can see her beauty and her flaws and feel that they can connect to her in many aspects. 

Emin uses her art to invite her audience to take a glimpse at her version of the human experience, blurring the lines between what is personal to an individual and what is universal (Fanthome). From pieces on her own abortions to masturbation, Emin doesn’t leave out a single detail. She is her own subject in her work and she makes her experiences known. Yet it is the contrast in her own art that speaks to the complexities of existing on this earth. For example, with her 1995 piece titled Everyone I Have Ever Slept With (middle right), Emin subverts expectations and gives an earnest view on her past. While one might hear the name of this piece and imagine it has a sexual connotation, the tent includes 102 names including her family and friends. It is a sentimental and emotional piece that reshapes the concept of intimacy. We sleep with the ones we love from birth till death.We are observing what Emin believes to be her view on love, but this could be vastly different to the view of her audience. Somehow, despite each person’s different exposure to love being so different, it is able to all be categorized under the same overarching theme and conceptual idea. Why is that?