rolf sachs

museum collections

makk, cologne, germany

biography

a purist by education and nature, rolf sachs (switzerland, 1955) is inspired by the work of malevich, de stijl, donald judd, joseph beuys and works from the surrealist movement. son of a german industrialist father and a french mother, he was heavily influenced by the art that surrounded him as a boy growing up in switzerland. rolf sachs’s deep interest in finding ‚the new‘ in art and design led him to produce one-off design pieces in the early 1990s. in 1994, he set up a london-based studio, a creative laboratory brimming with ideas, prototypes, and creations. in 2018 he moved to rome where he opened a new studio in 2020. rolf sachs’s work has been exhibited internationally in museums, including the victoria and albert museum, london, the museum for applied art, cologne and the peggy guggenheim collection, venice.

rolf sachs’s work manifests as art, design, objects, photography, spaces, and visual mediums, all of which are approached with his playful sense of humour. the essence of his work encourages human interaction with emotional and sensory reactions. sachs is forever curious and renowned for surprising his audiences and questioning preconceptions. rolf sachs explains: „my objects are not supposed to be provocative, but they will, on occasion, trigger very personal and individual emotions in different people.“

a highlight of his career was the monumental solo exhibition „typisch deutsch?“ in 2014 at the museum für angewandte kunst (makk) cologne which addressed the stereotypes and characteristics of german behaviour and mentality. the collaboration between the museum and ammann//gallery also resulted in the publication of the extensive catalogue „rolf sachs. typisch deutsch?“.

Doppel-Stuhl / Double-Chair

year: 1995
material: beechwood
measurements: w 70 x d 56 x h 80.5 cm
w 27.6 x d 22 x h 31.7 inches
edition: 3

Chip on the Shoulder

year: 1999
material: granite stone, beech wood
measurements: w 45 x d 45 x h 65 cm
w 17.7 x d 17.7 x h 25.6 inches
edition: 6

Gargantua Chair

year: 2007
material: solid pine wood, miniature scale figures
measurements: w 90 x d 95 x h 180 cm
w 35.4 x d 37.4 x h 70.9 inches
edition: 3

Venus over Time

year: 2022
material: inkjet print on hahnemühle photo rag ultra smooth paper 305 gsm
measurements: w 115.5 x h 164 cm / w 45.5 x h 64.6 inches
frame measurements: w 118 x d 3 x h 167 cm / w 46.5 x d 1.2 x h 65.7 inches
edition: 3 + 1 a.p.

No Rest for the Rust Chair

year: 2006
material: corten steel outdoor sculpture
measurements: w 81 x d 43 x h 75 cm
w 31.9 x d 16.9 x h 29.5 inches
edition: 6

2 Piece Suit Maple

year: 1994
material: maple wood
measurements: w 38 x d 42 x h 80 cm
w 15 x d 16.5 x h 31.5 inches
edition: 17

Rain in a Bucket

year: 2006
material: found vintage bucket, swarovski crystals, electrics
measurements: ø 27 x h 30 cm
ø 10.6 x h 11.8 inches
unique piece in a series of 17

Pouring Lights

year: 2006
material: vintage galvanized watering can, one way mirrored glass, electrics
measurements: w 80 x d 20 x h 40 cm
w 31.5 x d 7.9 x h 15.7 inches
unique piece in a series of 17

16.11.2013 – 19:44:22

year: 2013
material: digital c-type print mounted on dibond,
mirogard glass and framed
measurements: w 140 x h 93 cm
w 55.1 x h 36.6 inches
frame measurements: w 146 x d 6 x h 99 cm
w 57.5 x d 2.4 x h 39 inches
edition: 3 + 1 a.p.

18.03.2013 – 16:56:22

year: 2013
material: digital c-type print mounted on dibond,
mirogard glass and framed
measurements: w 59 x h 39 cm
w 23.2 x h 15.4 inches
frame measurements: w 63 x d 6 x h 43 cm
w 24.8 x d 2.4 x h 16.9 inches
edition: 6 + 2 a.p.

12.11.2013 – 10:33:22

year: 2013
material: digital c-type print mounted on dibond,
mirogard glass and framed
measurements: w 140 x h 93 cm
w 55.1 x h 36.6 inches
frame measurements: w 146 x d 6 x h 99 cm
w 57.5 x d 2.4 x h 39 inches
edition: 3 + 1 a.p.

18.03.2013 – 16:04:17

year: 2013
material: digital c-type print mounted on dibond,
mirogard glass and framed
measurements: w 140 x h 93 cm
w 55.1 x h 36.6 inches
frame measurements: w 146 x d 6 x h 99 cm
w 57.5 x d 2.4 x h 39 inches
edition: 3 + 1 a.p.

18.03.2013 – 15:20:42

year: 2013
material: digital c-type print mounted on dibond,
mirogard glass and framed
measurements: w 59 x h 39 cm
w 23.2 x h 15.4 inches
frame measurements: w 63 x d 6 x h 43 cm
w 24.8 x d 2.4 x h 16.9 inches
edition: 6 + 2 a.p.

18.10.2013 – 14:20:46

year: 2013
material: digital c-type print mounted on dibond,
mirogard glass and framed
measurements: w 140 x h 93 cm
w 55.1 x h 36.6 inches
frame measurements: w 146 x d 6 x h 99 cm
w 57.5 x d 2.4 x h 39 inches
edition: 3 + 1 a.p.

18.10.2013 – 14:22:08

year: 2013
material: digital c-type print mounted on dibond,
mirogard glass and framed
measurements: w 140 x h 93 cm
w 55.1 x h 36.6 inches
frame measurements: w 146 x d 6 x h 99 cm
w 57.5 x d 2.4 x h 39 inches
edition: 3 + 1 a.p.

12.11.2013 – 11:23:18

year: 2013
material: digital c-type print mounted on dibond,
mirogard glass and framed
measurements: w 140 x h 93 cm
w 55.1 x h 36.6 inches
frame measurements: w 146 x d 6 x h 99 cm
w 57.5 x d 2.4 x h 39 inches
edition: 3 + 1 a.p.