Tom Sachs demonstrates how he blends strict discipline with creativity. Sachs and his crew demonstrate how big ideas can arise from simple things in Homemade Mission to Mars by building a complete Mars mission out of duct tape and plywood. He outlines the guidelines for working in his studio in 10 Bullets, emphasizing the importance of punctuality, organization, and adherence to well-defined procedures.
I was intrigued by Sachs’s ability to give ordinary things a sense of significance and strength. His use of a lot of rigid rules, particularly the notion that “creativity is the enemy,” which is quite different from how artists are typically viewed, was surprising. It was difficult for me to comprehend how such a rigid system could nonetheless produce such creative and lighthearted work. The videos collectively demonstrate that Sachs views creating art as a serious task requiring both imagination and a strong sense of discipline.