My Heart Is This: Tracey Emin on Painting

by Martin Gayford

Genres: Art

256 pages, Hardcover

Published May 12, 2026

About the author

Martin Gayford is an art critic and art historian. He studied philosophy at the University of Cambridge, and art history at the Courtauld Institute of Art at the University of London. Over three decades, he has written prolifically about art and music in a series of major biographies, as well as contributing regularly to newspapers, magazines and exhibition catalogues. In parallel with his career as an art historian, he was art critic of The Spectator magazine and The Sunday Telegraph newspaper before becoming Chief Art Critic for the international television network, Bloomberg News. He has been a regular contributor to the British journal of art criticism, Modern Painters.

His books include a study of Van Gogh and Gauguin in Arles, The Yellow House: Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Nine Turbulent Weeks in Arles (Little Brown, 2006), which was published in Britain and the USA to critical acclaim, and has been translated, to date, into five languages; Constable in Love: Love, Landscape, Money and the Making of a Great Painter (Penguin, 2009), a study of John Constable’s romance with Maria Bicknell and their lives between 1809 and 1816; and A Bigger Message: Conversations with David Hockney (Thames and Hudson, 2011).

Reviews

[Bart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smooth, fast read, nicely published, solid illustrations. Based mostly on converstations had after Gayford wrote 'How Painting Happens' - which I have yet to read.

As for the content, the focus is squarley on Emin's intuitive way of working, but I wonder if I learned that much about her ideas on art. Following her Instagram, and watching some of her interviews on YouTube does the trick as well.

Admittedly, there's a fair bit of biographical trivia, and the book does have a broad scope, including quite a few pictures of her very early work, linking Emin to Munch and Schiele amongst others. The book also neatly recounts her difficult early relationship to painting, and does tell the story how she managed to pick up the brush again, and become the painting powerhouse she is at the moment.

Even though it doesn't really lack content, it does feel a bit light. If you'd had to chose, do buy Phaidon's 2024 publication "Paintings" instead. Emin's work speaks for itself. She is an absolutely brilliant painter - somewhat of a crossing between Cy Twombly and Rembrandt as a draughtsman.

One day I will read "Strangeland" too - curious if that will offer more depth.

More review on Weighing A Pig Doesn't Fatten It

[Lulu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Potentially more than I enjoyed the actual exhibition. But that’s probably because of how BUSY the exhibition was in a way that made me feel overwhelmed.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that this book is successful as it allows the reader to understand the artist and how she works. Tracey Emin has a particular style and way of creating that may at first not be clear when looking at her work. Having seen her current exhibition at the Tate Modern I now understand her work. TE has been a main stay of British art all her adult life and this conversation with Gayford allows her an opportunity discuss her life and art in a safe environment.

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved every minute of this. Martin Gayford can write a book with an artist ❤️

[Clare Padfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Information on Good Reads is incorrect : the book is published and available to buy. It’s a beautiful book . Written in the format of an extended conversation between the author and the artist, it has over 150 illustrations of Tracey Emin’s work and particular work of the various artists who have inspired her. It allows the artist to explain how she ‘returned’ to painting after moving away from it at one point in her career. The book gives a great insight into her creative process and how that’s had to change following her diagnosis and recovery from cancer.

[Roisin Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Martin Gayford strikes again. This is my second - Spring Cannot be Cancelled was my favourite read of 2025 and I loved this one on Tracy Emin. Finished it and immediately ordered two more of his books, and nearly bought a set of huge canvasses.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I could read this a couple more times, so many parts I want to return to, particularly about individual mark and drawing weird. I did feel as if I wanted something more from it but I don’t know what. I’ll know when I’m back painting