Tracey Emin flew the flag for Britain at the world's most famous contemporary art display today. Emin, known for displaying her unmade bed, is representing Britain at the 52nd Venice Biennale of Art.

Her display includes watercolours about her abortion, neon and embroidery works and small drawings. Emin's exhibition at the British Pavilion is entitled Borrowed Light.

She is only the second solo British female artist at the Pavilion, following Rachel Whiteread in 1997. Emin's work includes watercolours entitled After My Abortion, a 1994 monoprint named Grow Little Penis's Grow and images of her splayed legs. The 43-year-old artist said: "The chance to exhibit at the Venice Biennale is a great honour and has helped me to redefine what my work really means to me.

"Borrowed Light is my most feminine body of works so far, very sensual but at the same time it is graphically sharp.

"It is both pretty and hardcore. For me, as an artist, what's important is to cover everything from the emotional to the literal, and sometimes that means I give myself a very hard time."

The 52nd Venice Biennale of Art features work from 106 countries.

Gilbert and George displayed "hoodie" paintings at the event two years ago.