Antonella Marshall
Artist Response - Tom Sachs
Since his childhood days, Tom Sachs, a New York based artist born
on July 26, 1966, has been affixed to the relationship between the modern world
and consumerism. His work revolves around the idea that the modern world is so
strongly attached to products and brands that it worships them. Sach’s body of
work tends to synthesize common, iconic figures with violent, controversial
objects. By bringing them together, Tom Sachs recognizes consumerism as a
religion.
His practice of establishing a relationship between brands and
worship developed throughout his adolescent years. As a Jew, Sachs recalled the
nights spent at dinner with his family being characterized not by spiritual
discussion, but by consumer discussion. He was, in particular, fascinated by
the violence and persecution involving the Jewish people. Years later when he
became involved with the fashion district of New York City, Sachs noticed the
world’s obsession with brand products such as Nike and Chanel. It was during
this period that Tom Sachs decided to merge the concept of brand worship and
and the Holocaust in his 1998 sculpture, Prada Deathcamp.
Sach’s first 1995 show, “Cultural Prosthetics”, at New York’s
Morris-Healy Gallery also featured several of his other pieces sharing the
concept of consumerism and violence.
Tom Sach’s concept of consumerism and worship shares an
interesting connection with cargo cults. During the late 20th century, many
indigenous groups who became exposed to modern technology experienced religious
cargo cult movements during which attempts were made to acquire the material
wealth of the more advanced population. Often, these cargo cults created false
correlations and causations between material gain and practice. One
particularly famous incident involved the indigenous Tanna Islanders who
mimicked the training drills of the nearby military in belief that they
were ritual dances meant to bring cargo to the islands. The military drills,
however, were not exclusive to the Tanna Islanders’ attempts at advanced
material wealth. Replicas of planes and airstrips were also reported by local
anthropologists.
The connection between cargo cults and Sach is particularly clear
in the Nikon camera replica sculpture he made at the age of 8 for his father.
This concept of product worship and icon replication is a trademark of Sach’s
work.
For several of his sculptures, Tom Sachs chooses to leave the
‘work in progress’ areas exposed, expressing his belief that his works are
never truly completed and making the process towards the ‘finished’ piece part
of the full experience as well.
Sachs, Tom. Untitled 2008
Tom Sach’s “Space Program: Mars” exhibition features a series of
NASA inspired spacecraft replicas, including an Apollo Lunar Excursion Module
(Apollo LEM) and a crawler mounted transporter. With these two sculptures in
particular, Sach’s intentions to expose the process and incorporate it into the
pieces are clear. The performance piece involving the excursion module adds a
twist of comedy to the presentation, particularly during the moon rock sample
segment in which a bagel is pulled from the gallery floor. By taking a rugged,
comical approach to the Apollo LEM, Sach again demotes the power of the iconic
brands which are made so prevalent in his works.
Apollo LEM
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