Tracey Emin

Tracey Emin

Author: BBC Radio 6 Music January 16, 2018 Duration: 31:47

Gemma Cairney continues The Leisure Society, a new series interviewing cultural icons, tastemakers, artists and musicians about their pastimes, hobbies, collections and loves beyond what they are known for. This week Gemma joins Turner Prize nominated artist Tracey Emin at one of her favourite haunts in her home town of Margate, the Shell Grotto. Discovered in 1835, the winding passages are covered in mosaics created entirely of millions of seashells but how they got there is still a mystery. Tracey discusses her love for the shell grotto and why she will be relocating to her hometown, the infamous Walpole Bay parties she used to host, the music she listens to when she's painting in her studio, her passion for sea swimming and how it has shaped her life and work.


Gemma Cairney hosts The Leisure Society with Gemma Cairney, a space where the usual interview format is gently set aside. Instead of focusing on career highlights or latest projects, conversations drift toward the quiet corners of a guest's life-the activities and passions that fill their time away from the spotlight. Produced by BBC Radio 6 Music, this podcast offers a series of warm, revealing chats with a wide range of cultural figures, from musicians and artists to writers and thinkers. You'll hear about forgotten hobbies, cherished collections, and the simple, often quirky loves that sustain them. It’s in these details-the model trains, the birdwatching, the obsessive book collecting-that a different portrait emerges, one of the person behind the public persona. Each episode feels like an invitation to pull up a chair and listen in on a conversation between friends, discovering the shared human need for play and curiosity. Tuning into this podcast provides a refreshing pause, a reminder that what we do for pure joy often tells the most interesting story of all.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 18

The Leisure Society with Gemma Cairney
Podcast Episodes
Kathy Burke [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:08
Gemma joins Kathy Burke round at her house to talk about her love of television.
Bonnie Greer at the British Museum [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:41
Gemma Cairney joins Bonnie Greer at one of her favourite places, the British Museum.
Ben Watt birdwatching [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:17
Gemma joins musician Ben Watt for a spot of birdwatching
Zawe Ashton on shopping [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:58
Actress Zawe Ashton joins Gemma Cairney to the talk about how she spends her leisure time shopping in retail parks and how these seemingly menial non-artistic places calms her. Born in Hackney in London, Zawe attended Ma…
Damon Albarn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:39
Gemma Cairney joins Damon Albarn for a chat about travel and adventure at his studios.
Kristin Hersh on snakes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:58
Throwing Muses frontwoman Kristin Hersh joins Gemma Cairney at the reptile house.
Sir Paul Smith on cycling [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:44
Gemma Cairney is joined by fashion designer Paul Smith to discuss his love of bicycles.
Santigold on interior design [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:16
Santigold is the moniker of Philadelphia-born musician and producer Santi White. She released her debut album Santogold in 2008, followed by Master of My Make-Believe in 2012. She has since collaborated with the likes of…
Michael Stipe on photography [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:35
Gemma Cairney continues a new series of The Leisure Society, interviewing cultural icons, tastemakers, artists and musicians about their pastimes, hobbies, collections and loves beyond what they are known for. For this p…
Theresa from Warpaint on science [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:24
Gemma Cairney continues a new series of The Leisure Society, interviewing cultural icons, tastemakers, artists and musicians about their pastimes, hobbies, collections and loves beyond what they are known for. For this p…