Tom Sachs, NASA Chair

Tom Sachs, NASA Chair

This NASA Chair by Tom Sachs was used during the 2021 space mission held at Deichtorhallen in Hamburg that took two astronauts to the surface of 4-Vesta. The chair features a screen-printed NASA logo and is hand-labeled with the hero name “Sex Pistols,” a band that greatly influenced Tom Sachs. Each chair is marked with a distinct serial number and bears the artist’s signature. The chairs include dust particles from the 4-Vesta mission and show evidence of prior use.

Tom Sachs, an American contemporary artist born in 1966 in New York City, is renowned for his elaborate, handcrafted sculptures and installations that reflect his fascination with modern consumer culture, space exploration, and technology. Sachs’ work is distinguished by a unique, DIY aesthetic that challenges the boundary between high art and commercialism, often using everyday materials like plywood, foam core, and resin. Sachs’ journey into the art world began after he graduated from Bennington College in Vermont. His early career saw him working in Frank Gehry’s furniture shop, which influenced his appreciation for craftsmanship and the use of unconventional materials. This experience paved the way for his distinct artistic style, which often features bricolage – a method of construction using whatever materials are at hand. Sachs’ approach is meticulous and labor-intensive, focusing on the process as much as the finished product. A critical aspect of Sachs’ work is his engagement with popular culture and consumerism. He often recreates or appropriates icons of modernity and luxury brands, such as his infamous Chanel Guillotine and Prada Deathcamp. These works are not just sculptures but commentaries on the relationship between consumerism, branding, and the art world. Sachs is also noted for his limited editions, which have become highly sought after by collectors. These prints and multiples often explore themes similar to his larger installations but are produced in smaller, more accessible formats. For instance, his “Space Program,” in which he recreated various components of space missions in painstaking detail, has been translated into smaller sculptures and prints. These limited edition artworks encapsulate Tom Sachs‘ ability to blend fine art with popular culture, making his work both critically acclaimed and broadly appealing