Tom Sachs Can Turn a Speaker into Just About Anything

Creative sculptural renditions of classic boombox models come to Brooklyn Museum.

March 10, 2016, 4:15pm

Tom Sachs (American, born 1966). Phonkey, 2011. Mixed media, 49 x 34 x 13 3⁄4 in. (124.5 x 86.4 x 34.9 cm). Courtesy of the artist. (Photo: Genevieve Hanson)

From the first cassette tape player to the ever-persistent Beats by Dre Pill, the boombox as cultural icon has truly withstood the test of time. New York based artist Tom Sachs' homages to street music’s iconic blaster now comes in the form of a sculptural sound installation, Boombox Retrospective, 1999-2016. The installation, set to launch this April at the Brooklyn Museum, is a sequel to Sachs’ first Boombox Retrospective that went up in Texas early last year. The new show will be comprised of 18 sculptural renderings of classic stereo models from the last decade. At the center of each piece is a boombox or speaker system that Sachs builds around. In his creative embellishments, Sachs uses different materials to create politically charged juxtapositions or just plain humorous refurbishings.

Tom Sachs (American, born 1966). Defender, 2000. Mixed media, 72 x 28 1⁄2 x 32 1⁄2 in. (182.9 x 72.4 x 82.6 cm). Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Courtesy of the artist

Sachs' particular DIY style is a bricolage characterized the diverse range of materials used. His handcrafted audio-hardware sculptures are built from things like plywood, duct tape, batteries, and foam core, an indication of the artist's masterful ability to draw art out of everyday objects. Each sculpture is attached with a sort of utilitarian component, an accessory used in the support of an activity or event. Sachs writes, “From dance party, to road trip, to poche vide (a place to empty your pockets as you enter your home), to laboratory, to bachelor pad, to iPhone dock, sound systems have always been a part of my work and will be as long as I continue to love music.”

In addition to the live DJ sets and other public events, the installation will occupy the Museum’s entrance, playing through a timed collection of diverse sonic experiences curated by the artist and inspired by the musical history of Brooklyn.

Tom Sachs (American, born 1966). Guru’s Yardstyle, 1999. Mixed media, 53 x 24 x 25 in. (134.6 x 61 x 63.5 cm). Courtesy of the artist

Tom Sachs (American, born 1966). Clusterfuck, 2014. Porcelain and mixed media, 14 x 24 x 7 1⁄2 in. (35.6 x 61 x 19.1 cm). Collection of Max Power Jacobellis, Washington, CT. Courtesy of the artist

Tom Sachs (American, born 1966). Sarah, 2014. Mixed media, 20 3⁄4 x 38 x 8 1⁄4 in. (52.7 x 96.5 x 21 cm). Courtesy of the artist

Tom Sachs (American, born 1966). Toyan’s, 2002. Mixed media, 96 x 144 x 24 in. (243.8 x 365.8 x 61 cm). Courtesy of the artist

Tom Sachs: Boombox Retrospective, 1999-2016 will be on display at the Brooklyn Museum from April 21 - August 14th. This show coincides with another Tom Sachs exhibition at the Noguchi Museum, Tea Ceremony.

Find out more about Tom Sachs on his website.

Tom Sachs Turns it Up with a Boombox Retrospective

Tom Sachs Offers his Take on the Japanese Tea Ceremony

Boombox Sculptures Color the History of Hip-Hop

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