Tom Sachs to Display "Handmade Paintings" in NYC Exhibition

After launching a “Retail Experience” in Tokyo’s Isetan, Tom Sachs is now preparing to present a selection of “Handmade Paintings” as part of an upcoming exhibition in New York City’s Acquavella Galleries. While Sachs is known for his bricolage sculptures and large-scale installations often inspired by NASA aircrafts and ephemera, the artist rarely ever puts a spotlight on his paintings. The works to go on display in the upcoming presentation were made by the artist from 2019-2020, a batch of unseen pieces that glean several of his favorite pop culture imagery, logos and advertisements.

In his paintings, Sachs explores the relationship between his two and three dimensional work. “To understand the painting, you first must understand the sculpture, and that these things are made. These objects are constructed and have evidence of their construction,” said Sachs in a statement to the gallery. “They are sculptures made with painting materials, like canvas and paint, and paintbrush. They come out of my experience of building things.”

Sachs has been creating paintings for the past three decades. In both his sculpture and painting practices, the artist investigates themes of corporate and cultural identity such as consumerism, branding, technology, and cultural dominance to celebrate their achievements while also conveying contradictions. He portrays familiar brands such as Reese’s chocolate and Krusty-O’s in his signature, handcrafted aesthetic to direct attention on the importance of how his objects are made. “There is power in logos and there is power in good advertising,” he said.

View select works in the slideshow above. “Tom Sachs: Handmade Paintings” opens at Acquavella Galleries on November 5 and will run through December 18.

Elsewhere, a Banksy artwork portraying a girl hula-hooping with a tire has been spotted in the UK.

Acquavella Galleries
18 East 79th
New York, NY 10075