Tracey Emin Prints: Neon Words, Lithographs & the Confessional Market
Tracey Emin is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary British art. Her prints, spanning lithographs, screenprints, monoprints, and the neon text works that have become her signature, offer collectors access to a practice defined by raw emotional honesty and autobiographical intensity. With 59 authenticated works at Hanga House priced from 2,500 to 89,500 GBP, the Emin print market spans from accessible entry points to museum-quality holdings.
The Emin Aesthetic
Unlike the conceptual precision of Hirst or the pop exuberance of Murakami, Emin's work is rooted in confession. Her prints capture handwritten text, sketched figures, and intimate narratives with an immediacy that feels like reading a private diary. This authenticity is the source of their power and their market appeal. Collectors respond to Emin's work on a personal level that transcends traditional art-market calculations.
Emin's print market has shown steady value increases over the past decade, with prices averaging yearly gains since 2020. The premium for her work reflects both institutional recognition and the emotional connection collectors form with individual pieces. At Phillips London in October 2024, This Is Life Without You exceeded its pre-sale estimate to achieve 889,000 GBP, demonstrating the strength of demand for significant Emin works.
Key Print Categories
Neon Text Editions
Emin's neon works, featuring handwritten phrases rendered in bent glass tubes, are her most recognisable medium. While unique neons command six-figure prices, limited edition neon prints and reproductions of neon phrases offer the visual impact at more accessible price points. These works typically feature confessional statements about love, loss, and desire that have become iconic in contemporary art.
Lithographs and Screenprints
Emin's printed editions include figure studies, text-based works, and compositions that combine drawing with typography. Lithographs from the 2000s and 2010s typically trade between 3,000 and 12,000 GBP. Screenprints, particularly those featuring Emin's distinctive handwriting, occupy a similar price range. Works like Over And Out and I Loved My Innocence at Hanga House are representative of this core market segment.
Monoprints
As unique works on paper, Emin's monoprints sit between editions and unique paintings in both price and collectibility. They are not editions in the traditional sense but offer the spontaneity and directness that characterises Emin's best work. Monoprints trade at premiums over standard editions, typically in the 8,000 to 25,000 GBP range.
Market Dynamics
The Emin market has a distinctive characteristic: it is driven more by emotional resonance than by investment calculation. Collectors who buy Emin tend to hold their works longer than average, which restricts supply and supports prices. The collector base skews more female and more international than many of her YBA contemporaries, providing diversification across demographics and geographies.
Emin's institutional profile continues to strengthen. Her appointment as Professor of Drawing at the Royal Academy and ongoing museum exhibitions sustain visibility and critical attention. For collectors, this institutional anchoring provides long-term confidence in the market for her editions.
Authentication
Emin prints are documented through her publishing partnerships. Authentic editions carry pencil signatures, edition numbers, and publisher documentation. The main authentication consideration is distinguishing between standard editions and artist proofs, which command premiums of 20 to 40 percent. At Hanga House, we verify all Emin works through our seven-step process with particular attention to provenance and condition.
Buying Recommendation
For collectors entering the Emin market, we recommend lithographs and screenprints in the 2,500 to 6,500 GBP range. These works capture Emin's confessional power at accessible prices and benefit from the restricted supply that characterises her secondary market. Browse our collection of 59 authenticated Emin works at Hanga House.
