As an art collector, I have always been curious about Margate, a sleepy seaside town in Kent, England, known for its vibrant, pulsing arts community. I simply needed a reason to go.
It came when I was on my friend Robert Diament’s Instagram and was very struck by a portrait of himself he posted. It had qualities of Alice Neel and Wayne Thiebaud—an arresting image. (Robert happens to live in Margate and hosts an incredible podcast with another friend, Russell Tovey, called Talk Art, where they interview distinguished individuals in the art world.) I asked Robert to tell me a little bit about the portrait artist, and if there was a world in which I could commission the artist to do a portrait of myself. The artist’s name is Brogan Bertie, who I quickly learned had won the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year prize in the U.K. last year. Brogan agreed, and a date was set for my trip in late August.
I arrived in Margate on a Friday afternoon and was greeted by Rob who, as a first stop, gave me a tour of the Carl Freedman Gallery where he is a partner. They were showing a young artist named Lola Stong-Brett, who had been an employee of the gallery before transitioning to focus on her practice full time. She had also been apprenticing under Tracey Emin—the driving force behind so much growth taking place in this extraordinary community. I quickly felt like I had made a real discovery with Lola. Her work fostered an immediate connection and left an indelible impression. Then, it was off to some speedy studio visits.
Tracey has welcomed 17 artists so far into a free residency program called the Tracey Emin Artist Residency, also known as TEAR, that provides rich community and mentorship experience for burgeoning creatives. I was able to meet several of the artists who work in her large studio space: a 19th-century bath house (and more recently a computer training college) that Tracey acquired and transformed. I was buzzing after meeting with all of these amazing young artists who express themselves in startlingly unique ways.
Next, it was off to the Turner Contemporary to see the world-class exhibits on display. The institution is inspired by the work of J. M. W. Turner, who pulled a lot of his inspiration from Margate’s skies and sunlight. Opened in 2011 by Tracey Emin and Jools Holland, the gallery provides a free community for Margate visitors to enjoy exhibits, workshops, and events throughout the year. After touring the grounds, I had a small, relaxing break at the quaint boutique hotel No. 42 Guesthouse, and a casual dinner at Tracey’s home later that evening that Rob was kind enough to invite me to.
It was a pinch-me moment as Tracey’s imprint on the world has, and will always, loom large. Carl Freedman (her longtime collaborator and Counter Editions print publisher) prepared a hearty pasta dinner. The conversation was interesting and unexpected in the best way. Tracey gave me a brief tour of her house, which she had just moved into two weeks prior. She is also quite the collector, and I recognized many young artists on her walls (not to mention her own work).
The next day, I cleared out my calendar for a seven-hour sitting with Brogan. That time spent having real conversations and sharing our life stories is ultimately what made this experience so memorable. Brogan had transitioned five years earlier, and it was interesting to hear his reflections on his childhood and later life as he was astutely observing me, asking thoughtful questions about my own life as the day unfolded. Before I knew it, our session was complete.
Brogan decided once the portrait was completed, he would step out to give me a moment to see the work in privacy. I was blown away. It was everything I hoped for, and beyond. Brogan’s gift is his ability to capture the essence of his subjects in his signature heavy, dense, colorful brush strokes, and my piece is no exception. Hopefully, it is a painting my 9-year-old son Marco can also appreciate when he is older. It was certainly 24 hours that I will never forget.
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