Chuck Sperry

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Widespread Panic, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

WP CEDAR RAPIDS REGULAR

Widespread Panic, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
22 x 32
Show Edition of 200
9 colors on metallic lapis lazuli paper
Signed and numbered
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This poster will be available at the show through Widespread Panic.
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Widespread Panic asked me to do a pair of posters for their Fall Tour 2014, and I wanted to do something different. I love the challenge of doing two, or three, or four related posters. The prospect of doing two posters that relate to each other is an exciting creative challenge. For fans of Widespread Panic posters I’ve become well-known for my series of long locked, flower laden “Ladies” for the band. This diptych of posters for Widespread Panic’s 2014 Fall Tour gigs in Cedar Rapids and Ames, Iowa concentrates on the flowers — no lady.
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These posters are a gift to the band, like the flowers thoughtful folks bring to performers after the show, a thank you for rocking the house down to the ground — or like the flowers thrown on stage, gathered up and arranged in a pitcher like a beautiful memory. I hope I’m expressing the feeling of a Widespread Panic night in 9 bright psychedelic colors — some fluorescent eye-fry and some shimmering metallic. Flowers have long been a classic subject for the artist. I am seeking to create a pop poster that hides all the information in the subject image of the poster itself.

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TRPS Festival of Posters 2014 – Latest Surprises!

TRPS-Posters

I spent this Friday before TRPS Festival of Flowers printing a fine detail (adding the historically accurate support bands) on a reprint of “The Beatles 1966 Candlestick” poster designed by rock poster legend, the great Wes Wilson (a free labor of love for my hero). Make sure to visit Wes Wilson and ask about his newest offering! Helping make this the best show in the country for rock poster enthusiasts, sometimes means you have to pitch in and help your fellow artists, and helping Wes with his Beatles poster was just the right thing to do, and really cool! (even a small part of the overall piece).

I’m bringing many specialties and rarities. (Can you pick out some cool stuff in the picture above?) In addition to the newest titles, I’m making many rare test prints and black and white tests of most of my newest posters available tomorrow. It is always my great pleasure to welcome everyone to hometown, San Francisco, for the biggest poster show of the year!

Also, to add to the unreleased Widespread Panic variant additions I mentioned in my blog post earlier this week – I am offering two unreleased variant editions from my Dave Matthews Band, Greek Theatre.

These will only be offered exclusively at TRPS on Saturday, October 25, 2014.

DMB-GOLD-OPAL

Dave Matthews Band, August 23, 2014, Greek Theatre, Berkeley
21 x 34
Gold Opal Edition of 15
7 colors on gold opal metallic paper
Signed and Numbered

DMB-WAVE-FOIL

Dave Matthews Band, August 23, 2014, Greek Theatre, Berkeley
21 x 34
Wave Foil Edition of 15
7 colors on wave foil
Signed and Numbered

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The Rock Poster Society • Festival of Posters • Release Information

San Francisco’s annual Fall Clas­sic, the TRPS Fes­ti­val of Rock Posters is set to go for Sat­ur­day Octo­ber 25th, 2014 at the San Fran­cisco County Fair Build­ing (aka Hall of Flow­ers) in beau­ti­ful Golden Gate Park.

Fea­tur­ing rock poster artists and deal­ers from around the coun­try, this is the biggest rock poster event of its kind any­where. Those of you who have attended this show in the past know that this is the one not to miss. We bring in the best of the best, and you’ll find every­thing from vin­tage psy­che­delic trea­sures to the best of the mod­ern silkscreen move­ment. This year’s ver­sion promises to offer another stel­lar lineup.

The loca­tion is at the cor­ner of Ninth and Lin­coln on the South edge of the Park, not far from the Haight, the DeY­oung Museum, and the Acad­emy of Sci­ences. There are plenty of great restau­rants close by, too. Make it a week­end and bring the fam­ily to enjoy the great weather, an awe­some poster event, and every­thing else San Fran­cisco has to offer.

I have some surprises to offer exclusively at TRPS on Saturday, October 25, 2014 (and there will be more surprises at the booth at show time):

CAVE-MIRROR-FOIL

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Austin City Limits
17.25 x 35
Mirror Foil Edition of 15
8 colors on archival cream paper
Signed and Numbered

TBK-PHILLY-REG

The Black Keys Philadelphia 2014
30 x 22
Artist Proof
6 colors on archival cream paper

WP-DARK-GREEN

Widespread Panic, Chicago
20 x 35
Dark Green Metallic Edition of 20
6 colors on mirror foil
Signed and Numbered

WP-Mirror-Foil

Widespread Panic, Chicago
20 x 35
Mirror Foil Edition of 15
6 colors on mirror foil
Signed and Numbered

WP-GREEN-MIRROR

Widespread Panic, Chicago
20 x 35
Green Mirror Foil Edition of 15
6 colors on mirror foil
Signed and Numbered

These will only be offered exclusively at TRPS on Saturday, October 25, 2014.

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“Mimi de Montmartre” by Sperry in “Le Chat Noir” at Modern Eden Gallery

MIMI WEB

“Mimi de Montmartre”
18 x 24
Edition of 25
9 colors on oak panel (framed)
Signed and Numbered
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A limited number of this edition of oak panels will be available through Modern Eden Gallery from October 18 until November 1, 2014.
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“Le Chat Noir”
Modern Eden Gallery
801 Greenwich Street, San Francisco
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Opening Reception: Saturday October 18, 2014 6-9 pm
Exhibition Dates: October 18 – November 1, 2014
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Featuring: Ransom & Mitchell, Lacey Bryant, Carly Janine Mazur, Leilani Bustamante, Laura Buss, Chuck Sperry, Ania Tomicka, Amandalynn, Leon Loucheur, Justin Hopkins, Sheri DeBow, Jessica L.L Dalva, Megan Buccere, Caitlin Hackett, Carolyn Weber, Kurtis Rykovich, Mandy Tsung, Robert Bowen, Erica Calardo, Simona Candini, Lucy Yu, Syd Bee, Marc Le Rest, Brianna Angelakis, Jaclyn Alderete, Christina Mrozik & Zoe Keller.
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Modern Eden Gallery asked me to be in their group show, “Le Chat Noir,” in tribute to the fin de siècle Paris night club, known by the famous black cat poster art of Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen. Le Chat Noir, which was situated in Paris’ Montmartre district, was the forerunner of all night club entertainment, and by corollary the forerunner of most night-life and rock concert entertainment. This form of popular, public musical expression found it’s beginning in the 19th Century club Le Chat Noir. Of particular importance to me and my work, is that Le Chat Noir’s events were often commemorated with the world’s first posters by the very first poster artists. It’s history is also the history of poster art.
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There is a very subtle Japanese flavor to this piece (the figure wears a simple kimono, there is a distinct flattening and simplification of line and form, the use of pattern, and graphic black silhouette of the hair, hat, flowers and feather) which reflects the influence of the much older traditions of Japanese printing, poster art and aesthetics in the fin de siècle poster artists of France, current at the time of Le Chat Noir.
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My piece “Mimi de Montmartre” reflects my connection to contemporary Paris night life, pays tribute to the roots of the world’s night club scene, while paying tribute to the roots of the poster medium.
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I was introduced to the rock’n’roll night club scene in Paris through the friends of Born Bad Records, where I had my one of first Paris shows in 2005, on my poster tour promoting the new book “The Art of Modern Rock.” Born Bad is at the heart of the Parisian rock’n’roll underground. I was introduced to Born Bad by expatriate artist Sunny Buick (formerly from San Francisco). I have participated in numerous shows in a myriad of Paris night clubs (and galleries), year after year, since my introduction to this really great group of friends and rockers.
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Mimi de Montmartre is a well-known, rock’n’roll burlesque dancer who performs onstage with many of the best underground Paris rock acts today. I felt it would be cool to re-imagine my friend Mimi as a 19th Century entertainer, as if she were on a poster for Le Chat Noir. After all, she is Mimi de Montmartre, I couldn’t think of Le Chat Noir, the most famous Montmartre institution, without thinking of her.
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I printed this very limited edition of 25 pieces on white oak panel, in seven conventional colors, and two custom mixed interference colors (violet and green) which I mixed into a clear base from dry pigment powder. Overlayed on the dark black of her hair and hat silhouette, the interference colors have a very subtle opalescent sheen which refracts light against the light absorbing medium of a black (or light absorbing) ground.
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The background pattern for my art piece is inspired by the wooden Chat Noir effigy which stood above the door of the famous club. I encountered the actual wooden cat head effigy last summer at the Musée de Montmartre in Paris (you may have seen photos from my visit to the museum last summer, if you follow my instagram), and it made it’s way into this piece as a background pattern.
BLACK CAT WEB

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