Artist Tracey Emin has been appointed CBE in the New Year Honours list, an honour she described as 'absolutely thrilling'. The 49-year-old, known for her provocative works, said keeping the secret had been 'insane'.
Emin, who grew up in Margate, carried the Olympic torch through the seaside town in July. Her works were exhibited at the Turner Contemporary gallery in Margate, which she opened in 2011.
Speaking about the honour, Emin said she was looking forward to seeing her mother's reaction. 'I think they pushed me in at the deep end, but I'm absolutely thrilled,' she said. 'For me this honour is a symbol of how art can change people's perception of life and view the world in a different way.'
Emin was shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 1999 and exhibited one of her most famous works, 'The Bed', at the Tate Gallery. A neon sign reading 'I Never Stopped Loving You' in her handwriting was installed on a Margate seafront building in 2010, and 'More Passion' was placed in Downing Street in 2011.
'Art is a great enabler as it has helped me to achieve many things throughout my life and through my daily life to help many other people,' Emin said. 'I am pleased and happy to have recognition for this. But always in life recognition is not why we do things. We do things because of vocation, because we have to do them.'
