Tracey Emin's reading is from her autobiographical book, "Exploration of the Soul." She is traveling with a chair that she embroiders as she travels.
"One day — a kind of warm summer day — my mum — was running down the hill — screaming — my baby — my baby — what's wrong with my baby — I was hung across her arms — my stomach — was about to explode I had on my pink and white striped nightie I felt my eyes rolling — and my head was gone — Paul was riding down the hill on his chopper bike. I remember the yellow — He was calling don't worry sis Sis don't worry — I'll get him for you I'll get him — In the hospital I had to shit into a toilet that had no chain — there was a hole in the bottom — that collected by shit — they put it into a little tub — the police woman was talking to me — but I kept kind of sleeping -
Aunty Joyce was there — she was saying have you been naughty — mucking around — playing strange games — I don't know — what strange games were — to me it was all real — I just lay there -my blood slowly moving around my body was I really all alive had not part of me died — my world existed outside of me — How could I explain this — to ascend — and keep ascending — Dear God I thought — every part of me is bleeding."
"I believe she is right — I've decided that this chair is my inheritance — an inheritance to my future. I have decorated the chair with patchwork, embroidery and applique. It tells the story of my life. I've written a book called 'Exploration of the Soul' which is about me — my beginning — from the moment of conception to the time I lost my virginity: age 0 — 13.
"I will travel across America by road from San Francisco to New York with the chair and copies of my book. I will be giving one-night performances reading my book in galleries and other venues."
"Invitation to a reading from 'Exploration of the Soul — A Journey Across America'"
Available: homestudio.thing.net/revue/content/emin.htm (October 8, 1994).
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