Tracey Emin
(Picture: Dave Benett)TRACEY EMIN announced her own art school in Margate earlier this year and she’s now revealed the extent of her commitment — and is even preparing to sell off her own work to pay for it.
“The finance for all the building, all the renovation is all from my own pocket,” the artist told an event last night. “It’s a non-profit organisation. I will probably be selling work to finance the bills.”
But potential students should be prepared to make their own tough decisions on money.
At the Whitechapel Gallery last night, Emin recalled a tutorial with a student who smoked. He told her he hadn’t produced paintings because he couldn’t afford paint. She walked out. “If any student tells me they don’t have any money for paint and they’re smoking 20 Marlboro Lights, they don’t deserve to be at art school.” You have been warned.
Atwood signing was just pants
MARGARET ATWOOD is a Booker prize-winning author, but even she had to start somewhere. At the Royal Festival Hall last night for a Fane event, Atwood recalled an early book signing — in a men’s underwear department in Canada. “What happened is that I frightened a lot of men. They were just there for the reason that one goes to the underwear department, and they saw me there, and I could hear their galoshes flapping as they ran in the opposite direction.” She sold two copies.
Queen keeps quiz host on his toes
ALEXANDER ARMSTRONG is delighted the Queen is a fan of his BBC quiz Pointless. “I keep the thought of the Queen at the back of my mind. If I’m ever flagging, all I have to remember is that we have a royal audience, and then I pull it out of the bag,” he told us at the Rainbow Trust Anniversary Ball at the Dorchester. But when Armstrong asked Lord Fellowes, who was also there, whether he would appear on Pointless Celebrities, the Downton man was humble: “I’m not clever enough”. Do it for the Queen, Julian.
Tim Yip kept from own film launch by Covid
THURSDAYS are the new Fridays. Artist Yinka Ilori and Preena Patel were out in Shoreditch, while Philip Sallon, Kojo Marfo, Charlie Siddick and India Rose James were at the National Gallery for artist Tim Yip’s film launch of Love Infinity on MUBI. Poor Yip had Covid so had to join remotely. Anya Hindmarch and Stephen Fry were at a Royal Marsden cancer fundraiser on the Strand
SW1A
KEN CLARKE has a word he will not let pass his lips. “I never use the word Brexit in conversation,” the former Tory Chancellor told a Policy Exchange event yesterday. “It just turns people off… I don’t want people shaking their heads saying ‘Oh, an old Remoaner, still arguing’.” That which shall not be named.
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GARY NEVILLE took another step on his journey from football to politics last night as he appeared at a Labour fundraiser in Manchester. Oliver Ryan, a Labour councillor, tweeted “welcome to the family” alongside pictures of Neville on stage with Sir Keir Starmer. One to watch.
