The greatest myth that Sachs’ perpetuates about his work is
“I can never make something as perfect as the iPhone, but Apple could never make something as shitty as one of my sculptures.”
This myth is so powerful that when you’re browsing his work, Tom will break into your inner monologue “Check that out, see how it’s all fucked up?” Your internal monologue replies, and like a true rookie drops the infamous “I could do that….” But this time, it’s different. This time you’re going to follow through. You head out to the workshop to recreate that bead, chair, lamp, or whatever.
As soon as you get started, reality kicks in, and you discover the “shitty” thing is a myth; it’s way harder than it seems. Tom’s work is imperfect and perfect at the same time. You end up splintering plywood and discovering new swear words.
By now, Tom has bound and gagged your shoulder angel and is hanging out with your devil. They flip between encouragement and critique. “Yeah! It’s supposed to be shitty. No! It’s not badly made. It’s perfectly constructed, just flawed.” You persist.
Then after Days? Weeks? You emerge from the workshop. Victorious. It’s nowhere near as good as the one Tom made, yet somehow, at the same time, it’s better. It’s yours.
Sachs’ greatest myth tricked you, and he transubstantiated you into an artist. There is no going back; the only way is forward. Now you’ll have to create mythologies and marks of your own.
Photos:
- Beads & Bit coins - Anders Delbom
- NASA Meatball - Clinton Freeman
- Reece’s Coin - Arthur Carpentier
- Cinder Block - Aaron Hankins
- Barrier Chair - Gabe V.
Originally written for the Sachsian Syndicate.
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