Chuck Sperry has been named a recipient of a 2013 Acker Award. Sperry, world renown silkscreen artist, has been dedicated to the counter-culture for over 25 years since 1985, when he started co-editing World War 3 Illustrated on the Lower East Side of New York City, until the present day, owning and operating the 5000 square foot print studio with it’s own gallery, Hangar 18, in Oakland, California.

“The Acker Awards is a tribute given to members of the avant garde arts community who have made outstanding contributions in their discipline in defiance of convention, or else served their fellow writers and artists in outstanding ways. The award is named after novelist Kathy Acker who in her life and work exemplified  the risk-taking and uncompromising dedication that identifies the true avant garde artist.”

A prolific artist, Sperry continues to travel, teach university classes and conduct workshops in San Francisco as Dean of the Free University of San Francisco, and abroad from Athens to Argentina.

“Acker Awards are granted to both living and deceased members of the New York or San Francisco communities. The cities were chosen for their historic linkage as centers for the avant garde. In time, though, communities in other cities will be asked to participate. The providers of the Acker Awards are Alan Kaufman (San Francisco) and Clayton Patterson (New York City). The recipients were determined through extensive discussion with members of the arts communities in both cities.

This year’s recipients will have the opportunity to both nominate and vote for future recipients of the Acker Awards.”

See the full list of recipients for this year’s San Francisco Acker Awards here.

There will be an awards ceremony on June 6, from 7-9  at the Viracocha on 998 Valencia Street in San Francisco.