The Art of Being Real: Tom Sachs and the Authenticity Revolution
You chase the latest drop. The seasonal must-have. The social approval stamp.
Tom Sachs does the opposite. Takes clay and shapes a Nikon camera. For his father. With love.
The Most Authentic Fake
“My first genuine fake was a clay model of a Nikon camera I made for my father. I consider it authentic because it was made with love.”
Thousand-dollar trophy versus nephew’s crooked drawing. Which holds more value? Sachs picks the clay. Picks the love. Picks the intention behind the gesture.
Authenticity doesn’t live in the price tag. It lives in the heart that moves the hands.
What really matters to you?
Flaws as Signatures
“The advantage of handmade items over industrially made ones are the visible elements, like resin drips or screws, that show how a piece was made.”
Sachs hates industrial perfection. Loves glue drips. Exposed screws. Crooked seams.
Each “mistake” tells a story. Each mark reveals process. Each imperfection proves someone was there.
The factory produces soulless objects. Hands create pieces with personality.
Creativity Can’t Be Forced
“My strategy for creative burnout is to immediately give up if something doesn’t work and move on to something fun.”
Stuck? Drop it. Frustrated? Switch projects.
Sachs works multiple fronts. Lets the subconscious mind solve problems while the body moves. Sports. Soil. Ceramics.
Creativity flows when you stop forcing the faucet.
Jeans as Personal Diary
“Wear your blue jeans until they naturally develop holes, as a way to show history and personal connection.”
Your ripped jeans are worth more than any new piece. The holes map your life. The fading tells your adventures.
Sachs connects personal care with planetary care. “Taking care of our bodies and our possessions extends to caring for our communities and the planet.”
Treat your objects as companions, not disposables.
The Silent Revolution
Tom Sachs proposes something radical: find the real in what you create, not what you buy. Value process over product. History over brand.
Your authenticity isn’t for sale. It’s in your hands.
What will you create today?