tom sachs

tom sachs is an american sculptor best known for his elaborate, bricolage recreations of various modern icons. the themes central to his universe focus on american culture and society, which he treats with a heavy dose of humor and irony. sachs engages with the corporate ecosystem and the idea of 'brand image' by riffing on luxury consumer items and global brands, which are transformed through their inclusion in an art context. his works are conspicuously handmade and heighten our awareness of production techniques, in a reversal of modernisation's trend towards cleaner, simpler and more perfect machine-made items.

the artist has long been fascinated with space exploration, in particular the apollo program from the 1960s and 1970s, as well as NASA's ongoing role as an incubator for pioneering new technologies that later resurface in everyday life and consumer products. sachs has realised an entire body of space-related works, including models of various spacecraft, shoes made from materials developed for use in space, and his immersive space programs to the moon, mars and europa. sachs was born in 1966 in new york, where he lives and works. he studied at the architectural association, london in 1987 and graduated from bennington college, vermont in 1989.