For the next few days, art lovers the world over will flock like pilgrims to Art Basel Miami Beach to revel in the power of contemporary art’s deities. Among these powerhouses is Tracey Emin, whose new show “Angel Without You” at the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, is the first to focus on the artist’s neon works. From the walls glow sculptures twisted into lyrical phrases—“You loved me like a distant star,” “Only god knows I’m good”—that read like excerpts from a dreamy, tragic ballad.
That we receive no context for these lines only increases their sense of intimacy. Suddenly the words “Never again!” become a personal, imperative call to action, and “I can feel your smile” seems written just for us. Also in the show are playful works that depict the female form and, in the case of The Scream, act as a tongue-in-cheek update on iconic images in art history.
Through March 9, 2014, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami; mocanomi.org
