Thaddaeus Ropac gallery in Seoul held "Picasso", a solo exhibition by American artist Tom Sachs that put a contemporary spin on the master himself.

Thaddaeus Ropac gallery in Seoul held "Picasso", a solo exhibition by American artist Tom Sachs that puts a contemporary spin on the master himself.

The exhibition features new sculptures created through Sachs' trademark bricolage method. He transforms everyday found objects into Picasso-inspired forms before casting them in bronze, creating a dialogue between different eras. Alongside these works, Sachs presents his own interpretations of Picasso's paintings and drawings, filtered through his artistic approach. We spoke with Sachs to discuss his creative process and the inspiration behind the exhibition.

Besides, the artist will hold a solo exhibition at Thaddaeus Ropac London gallery during Frieze London in mid-October, showcasing his "chawan" (tea bowl) sculpture series. 

The physical exhibition "Picasso" ended in May and is now available as an online exhibition. How did you come up with the ideas of reinterpreting Picasso’s sculptures and the painted and drawn reimaginings of his works?

Picasso is a luxury brand. That's what got me interested. He’s the second most important artist of the 20th century, but I’ve mainly been drawn to his work as economic instruments. As good as his art is, to me it’s no different than a Kelly bag or a Ferrari. But once I started to dig in a little bit, I found that the War Years, ‘37 to ‘45 had a lot of resonance for me, not just because it was the most libertine culture, occupied by the most oppressive culture, but because it’s when Picasso used a hard black line to surround fields of color.

These are Picassos that I could have done. Or, I should say only these Picassos are ones that I could have done because they're easy. Not that they're not genius, but the color fields are surrounded by black lines, which is almost like they're graffiti or cartoons. Within that, they have richness and complexity that is brilliant.

It's been a real pleasure to learn to make my own versions of them. But it's no different than me making my own Lunar Excursion Module or piece of Le Corbusier architecture.

How has Pablo Picasso influenced you? 

Making my own Picassos has reminded me to get more serious about painting. I'm working on a new body of work right now. I could not have done it without Picasso. If you ever want to learn how to paint, make a Picasso, and make it obsessively. Then you'll be good at painting.

If you ever want to learn how to paint, make a Picasso, and make it obsessively. Then you'll be good at painting. 

Your reimagining of Picasso’s works provokes visitors to reflect on "What makes a painting". In your view, what does painting mean to you?

To quote the great film director Sam Fuller, "what makes a great movie? A great story. What makes a great story? A great story makes a great story!" A great painting is a great story.

You once said, “The evidence of the making is always in the finished product.” How do you decide when a piece is “finished” while in your ongoing process of making or building?

I know when I know. I think that's what makes it art–the artist understanding when to stop. I’m more careful now because I've seen all the bad things I made in the past, and I've seen all the great things that I've made in the past, too. I have a larger sample set of data to reference.

Regarding the Hyundai Card Culture Project, your fifth mission to space, "Space Program: Infinity", is recently concluded at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). What is your perception of this exhibition space, and how do you think it best suits your space program? 

The DDP, in a way, is a spaceship in itself. We even made a model of it and landed on it as part of our systems demonstration. My sculpture of the DDP was shown in the DDP. It’s an extraordinary building and Zaha Hadid’s best work.

Your first Space Program was launched in 2007. How did your fascination and passion for space exploration lead to that launch? How has this interest evolved over the years and influenced this ongoing project?

I'm not interested in space. I’m interested in what it’s all about. Science and religion ask the same questions: Are we alone? Where did we come from? What happens when we die? These are the reasons we go to space, not because we've fucked up planet Earth and are looking for a new home, but to better understand our resources here on Earth. And to better understand ourselves.

Have you ever considered space travel for yourself? How do you perceive the connection between space and all of us?

I'd never go to space. It's too dangerous. I want to stay here and explore planet Earth. The safest place on Mars is 10 times more hostile than the most dangerous place on Earth. Earth is like a warm, wet kiss, and I want to explore every inch.

 
Online Exhibition：https://ropac.net/online-exhibitions/198-tom-sachs-picasso/