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Tom Sachs is probably best known for his Nikecraft sneakers and collaborations but the space-age artist has an all-encompassing practice that’s more than mere collectibles. To whit, Sachs is inviting fans inside his studio — or, at least, a recreation of it — via the Space Program: Retail Lab exhibit.
A sibling show to Sachs‘ ongoing “SPACE PROGRAM: RARE EARTHS” at Deichtorhallen Hamburg, Space Program: Retail Lab (S.P.R.L.) is a digital and physical event that touches on all aspects of Sachs’ design output.
S.P.R.L. will launch simultaneously on SSENSE’s website and at its Montreal outpost. As the name implies, there’s a much heavier retail element to this activation than Sachs’ usual Space Programs.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that Sachs is merely cashing in. S.P.R.L.’s site-specific installation in Montreal will offer visitors an opportunity to explore Sachs’ worldview through various lenses.
For one, SSENSE explains that guests “can undergo exercises to digitally indoctrinate themselves into the Studio code,” which reads a little cultish but is really a series of “missions” and online-only tasks that can be charted by checking the S.P.R.L. log.
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Sachs is really pushing for full immersion, not unlike the training program undergone by astronauts. S.P.R.L. ain’t quite that intense but that’s the general idea.
Deveral of Sachs artworks will also be on display, including the refurbished LEM panel United States and Tome Ishi, a space rock retrieved from the 4-Vesta asteroid. Far out, man.
Guests can also get up close to Sachs’ inimitable industrial designs, like the NASA seats (it’s more than a mere folding chair!), Shop Chair, a customized G-SHOCK watch, and Leatherman Charge+ All Purpose Tool designed to his specifications.
These are all up for grabs at SSENSE’s Tom Sachs site and in-store, though only IRL attendants will have a chance at the random drops of Sachs’ Nikecraft goods and in-house Fanny Pack Pro bag.
Deichtorhallen Hamburg and SSENSE Montreal will also offer a companion zine, as is the norm for Sachs. Again, immersion!