Chuck Sperry

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“The Bridge Is Over” at LoPo Gallery, SF

Spoke Art is presenting a group show entitled “The Bridge Is Over” in SF this Saturday, November 27th from 6PM – Midnight, featuring an array of artists from the East Bay at the new Lopo Gallery.

A special all ages preview will happen from 6PM – 8PM before the full bar opens at 8PM. Catering will be provided by La Mediterranee at 6PM as well as complimentary wine.

LoPo Gallery

1141 Polk St. San Francisco, CA 94109.

Featuring: Brett Amory, John Felix Arnold III, Kate August, Nicholas Lea Bruno, John Casey, Monica Canilao, Eddie Colla, Dave Correia, Meagan Donegan, Emory Douglas, GATS, Peter Gronquist, Carolynn Haydu, Scott Hove, Hunter de la Ghetto, Jeremiah Jenkins, Keba Konte, Amanda Lopez, Justin Lovato, Becca Jay, Daryll Peirce, Jeff Rassier, Chuck Sperry, Deth P Sun, Hannah Stouffer, Ras Terms, Gina Tuzzi, Annie Vought, Derek Weisberg, Aoi Yamaguchi, Zoltron

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GRAPHIC RADICALS: 30 Years of World War 3 Illustrated

GRAPHIC RADICALS: 30 Years of World War 3 Illustrated

December 7, 2010 – February 7, 2011

Opening Tuesday, December 7, 7-9pm

 

Exit Art

475 Tenth Ave

New York, NY 10018

Gallery Hours:

Tuesday – Thursday 10:00am – 6:00pm

Friday 10:00am – 6:00pm

Saturday 12:00pm – 6:00pm

NEW YORK – Graphic Radicals is a 30th anniversary retrospective of World War 3 Illustrated, an independently published political comic magazine founded in 1980 by artists Seth Tobocman and Peter Kuper. Comprised of original comics, drawings and paintings, posters, commissioned murals, documentary film, animation and a complete set of issues, Graphic Radicals will be the largest World War 3 exhibition to date and will highlight the history that World War 3 has scrutinized, documented, and participated in for three decades.

World War 3 Illustrated was first established in response to the Iran hostage crisis and impending election of Ronald Reagan and since then has confronted social and political issues ignored by the mainstream press. The magazine is an annual publication produced by a collective of artists with each issue addressing a particular theme. WW3 has covered topics as diverse as the Tompkins Square riot, homelessness, first-person accounts of 9/11, the prison industrial complex, a teachers’ strike in Mexico, Hurricane Katrina rescue efforts and, in the upcoming issue, the food chain.

Critic Lucy Lippard wrote of World War 3 Illustrated that its “ecological and social prophecies are coming to pass, and the apocalyptic vision that gives WW3 its desperate force and unique identity is the present.”

ARTISTS

Mumia Abu Jamal, Penny Allen, Peter Bagge, Isabella Bannerman, Rosie Bottom, Steve Brodner, Zenzele Browne, Leigh Brownhill, Christopher Cardinale, Sue Coe, Scott Cunningham, Brian Damage, Eric Darton, Eric Drooker, Kate Evans, FLY, Susan Greene, Ethan Heitner, Chris Heneghan, Paula Hewitt, Mirko Ilic, Ryan Inzana, Melissa Jameson, Sandy Jimenez, Sabrina Jones, Kathy Kelly, Tom Keough, Stephen Kroninger, Peter Kuper, Irene Ledwith, Tom McDonald, Mac McGill, Rebecca Migdal, Naji-Al-Ali, Ursula O’Steen, Maddalena Polleta, Kevin Pyle, Carlo Quispe, Corinne Rhodes, Spain Rodriguez, James Romberger, Joe Sacco, Nicole Schulman, Susan Simensky Bietile, Erin Sinefit, Chuck Sperry, Art Spiegelman, Tenesh, Seth Tobocman, Teresa Turner, Lawrence Van Abbema, Anton Van Dalen, Edwin Vazquez, John Williamson, Susan Willmarth, Samantha Wilson, Leah Wishnia, David Wojnarowicz, WW3 Arts In Action, Micah Ian Wright

Organized by Peter Kuper, Seth Tobocman, and Susan Willmarth.


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Swiss Tour 2010 – Zurich Memories

Guenther Dobrauz, organized Röchaholics II, a great gathering of some of the world’s best Rock Poster artists and photographers. Guy Burwell, Lindsey Kuhn, Ron Donovan, Malleus, Chris Hopewell, Blackyard, Michael Hacker, Fabien Von Unweth and I took residence at the Rosenmatt Villa (pictured above) to throw down some rock visuals and have a great opening. I was met at the Zurich train station by Lindsey and Guenther who took me directly to meet the other artists; we were shown around the premises of Heinrich Mantel AG, maker of the finest anodized aluminum in Europe, and large format, highest quality, silkscreen printer. Here’s some shots of us in the Mantel’s amazingly appointed print studio. It was explained how our editions of anodized aluminum would be digitally printed by this devise below – ink would be layered over and over in a very time-consuming process where the image is scribed 7 times – over and over – to drive the image deeply into the carefully prepared aluminum substrate. In exact, precise alignment each print in the edition is entirely scribed over and over to add richness and detail.

Then the aluminum, with the image deeply imbedded into it, is heated in a finely controlled process to bond it into the metal and seal it over with an anodized layer of bonded oxygen molecules. You can see the gang here in front of the heating chamber.

Then Guenther and the whole crew at Mantel made us a warm, hospitable fondu at the print studio. Good to taste fondu and smell the familiar smells of the print shop all at the same time. Really outstanding, so good!

Back to the Rosenmatt to set up. Here’s Lindsey Kuhn, Chris & Jo Hopewell, and Mr. Mantel on the pitch.

And no Hooligans – that goes for you!

There are great shots from the actual Röckaholics II show here – One final pair of shots – dawn in Zurich – as I took a few hours to walk around and ponder. Listening to something very good on my headphones, I was surprised to watch a woman exit from the front door of her house near a bridge demurely wearing a beach towel, slip nude at dawn into the freezing river that rushes out of the lake right in the heart of beautiful old Zurich, and swim with the swans flanking her on either side. It was about the most graceful thing I ever saw.

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Swiss Tour 2010 – Luzern Memories

Mart Infanger is a great poster artist, art instructor, musician and world class host. After partying down with all the great artists in Zurich the night before, he sheepishly asked if it would be okay if we took a hike in the mountains, and Lindsey and I were super stoked to say, “Yes!” We crossed beautiful Luzern by the lake by small rail and walking…

Took a gondola up to the mid-point of Mount Pilatus, named after the dragon who is fabled to live there (the mountain was shaped like a crouched dragon with wings folded against the ground) so cool! Mart told us how supposed socerers who came to Luzern in the Middle Ages were called “Venetians,” because the Venetians were just through the pass yonder and brought advanced gadgets and ideas.

We took a good long hike through the woods at the foot of Pilatus. Met the old man of the forest.

Took in the view and went to have lunch in the sun. I had Jäger, Spatzli, and Red Cabbage, great fall food!

Totally refreshed we descended back down into Luzern to set up our show at The Metzgerhalle, a great rock club in the heart of Luzern.

Here’s some shots from the night. You can see a progression here. Connect the dots. Great night!

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Swiss Tour 2010 – Bern Memories

Back in lovely Bern! I love the Reithalle, where we had our show in the cafe Rössli on the ground floor. We shared the show between me and Ron Donovan, Lindsey Kuhn and the local Bern artistic geniuses Blackyard, Philip Thöeni, Silvio Brügger, Christian Calame and Jared Muralt. Great time was had by all. Here’s a friendly Foozball match caught in exciting video:

Robert Butler came to the show. He set up the print studio at the Reithalle. Robert has my respect for sure, he’s an extremely talented designer and printer, musician (he recently toured the world with Reverend Beat Man), and all around renaissance dude. Cheers Robert, thanks for hanging out – it was great to see you!

Shellac had a rocking show in the concert hall upstairs called The Dachstock – and they were awe-inspiring, great! Todd Trainer, Bob Weston and Steve Albini came and checked out our poster show. We shared a relaxed coffee in the morning in the empty concert hall – and headed out to our respective “next date.” Here’s my incredibly blurry photo from the show:

Archives

Sperry Books: “Color x Color” • “Helikon” • “Chthoneon” • “Idyllion”

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