“Whether it is a painting, a sneaker, a cathedral—it’s all sculpture to me.”

–Tom Sachs

Tom Sachs: Drawings and Sound Systems presents a program of the artist’s iconic sculptures, specifically drawings and sound systems, to craft a taxonomy of commodified objects and the systems that build them.

Sachs’ genre defying mixed media sculptures, often recreations of modern icons using everyday materials, show all of the work that goes into producing an object— a reversal of modernization’s trend towards products with cleaner, simpler, and more perfect edges. Sachs’s sculptures are conspicuously handmade; lovingly cobbled together from plywood, resin, steel, plastic, and ceramic. Scars and imperfections tell the story of how these objects came into being and remove them from the realm of miraculous conception.

The themes central to Sachs’ universe focus on American culture and society, which he treats with a heavy dose of humor and irony. He playfully engages with the corporate ecosystem and the idea of ‘brand image’ by riffing on luxury consumer items and global brands, transforming them through their inclusion in artistic contexts. The handmade exploration of these objects is what ultimately develops the ethos of his studio. Prioritizing the roles of material and process, Sachs’ team of ten functions like a teaching hospital or cult— one that worships plywood and the spirit of transparency to heighten our awareness of modern production.