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October 13, 2026 By squirt

“Chuck Sperry: Archetypes” Opening in San Francisco

Chuck Sperry: Archetypes, a solo exhibition by San Francisco-based artist Chuck Sperry. 

 Artist Talk:
Saturday, November 7th
4pm to 4:30pm
Featuring Chuck Sperry and FWMoA Curator Josef Zimmerman

Opening Night Reception:
Saturday, November 7th
5pm to 10pm
The artist will be in attendance

Gallery Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday / 11am – 6pm
Exhibition on view until Saturday, November 28th

Harman Projects SF
1275 Minnesota Street, Suite 106
San Francisco, CA 94107

“Chuck Sperry: Archetypes” comes home to San Francisco!

Harman Projects at Minnesota Street Project in San Francisco is proud to present CHUCK SPERRY: ARCHETYPES, a watershed exhibition devoted to the artist’s decades long exploration of the archetypes of Greek mythology. The exhibit serves as a visual dialogue with the ideals that helped to shape the philosophical foundations of American democracy. 

With an eye to the democratizing influence of Sperry’s provocative printmaking on the art world, Sperry will be releasing new and archive wood panels, paper prints, blotters, card sets and his new 680 page art book — and making them accessible and available in San Francisco at Harman Projects — opening November 2026.

Following Chuck Sperry’s landmark retrospective at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art (April 24 – August 2026), his exhibition last year at SFMOMA, and Sperry’s exhibition this year at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York — Sperry’s hometown will get a comprehensive gallery exhibition of dozens of Sperry’s world-renown original screen printed wood panels — and the premier release of Sperry’s new 680 page art compendium Archetypes, The Sperry Art Print Archive 2009-2026.

Here’s what’s being offered at Harman Projects in San Francisco:

Brand new panel editions of 30: Sophia, Arete, Titania, Kallirhoe.
Plus San Francisco reserve on recent panels (created 2026): Juno, Courage, Pseudea, Iphigenia, Soeurs Jumelles, Danaïde, Love.

A large selection of archive wood panels.
Paper prints: Deep dive into Archive prints and posters!

Brand new art print release.
Brand new Blotter.

Hometown Premier of Sperry’s new 680 page art book: Archetypes, The Sperry Art Print Archive 2009-2026.
2 new Sperry Collectible Art Card sets.

Please note: the Opening Night Reception will be a ticketed event. Tickets will be available here today at 12 noon PST:
Tickets Link

We’re thrilled to be making these offerings accessible and available to the public at Harman Projects at Minnesota Street Project, San Francisco — opening November 7, 2026.

 

• • •

Chuck Sperry, world famous rock concert poster maker for 30 years, is known for making posters for Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, The Grateful Dead, U2, Pearl Jam, The Beastie Boys, and The Black Keys. His personal art practice is moving him beyond master poster designer and printmaker to art world phenomenon when his art pieces started moving into the “urban art” genre. Beginning in 2009, many of Sperry’s art prints began to feature images of muses from Greek mythology, and were well received whether on auction or in galleries.

Politically engaged: his involvement in the ERA movement as an ally has helped to amplify the message of equal rights for women, creating posters for Artists 4 ERA, Vote Equality, and the Center For Common Ground (which helped Democrats expand Senate seats in 2022 & 2026), and created three posters for the Women’s March movement in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

“My art is meant to beautify, but also to inspire engagement and awaken the viewer’s sense of agency. Greek archetypes help with that, because they speak in a universal symbolic language that transcends division. Through myth, I like to inspire discussion about courage, justice, renewal, resilience — without immediately falling into partisan trenches,” says Sperry.

Today as democratic principles are being challenged, Sperry dives headlong into the controversy: “I try to show that democracy is a living process,” says Chuck Sperry. “It begins with ideals, descends into the depths of our human challenges, and rises again into the shared garden of possibility. My archetypes guide us through these realms, reminding us that democracy is not static—it is radical and transformative—a continual passage, a communal stewardship, a utopian experiment we carry forward.” 

Celebrating Sperry’s counter-cultural roots, and mapping his progress print by print from the street art and concert poster worlds, ARCHETYPES is a complete exhibition of decades of the influential artist’s art print work; it follows his trajectory from master poster designer and printmaker to art world phenomenon. Sperry’s images are recognized the world over, and parallel to his  achievement of mainstream recognition, his history of social engagement and mythic exploration is illuminated by the scores of technically virtuosic pieces presented in ARCHETYPES.

Sperry adds, “My posters and prints circulate through music venues, festivals, protests, and community gatherings like ritual objects—seeds sown across a cultural landscape. They carry archetypal meaning into shared spaces, encouraging viewers to see themselves as participants in this ongoing democratic experiment.”

“I think of my work from the last few years as defiant in these dark times. I like to think I give people courage through it. It gives me courage to work on it.” — Chuck Sperry

“Through the years my work has become a multi-various host of archetypes which unfolded organically through a long series of art prints. Archetypes is the synthesis of this journey: the illuminating path connecting personal and social catharsis,” says Chuck Sperry. “I believe that the gods and goddesses are attributes of the mind. What may appear on the face of things like a variety of pagan reverence is really a celebration of the human spirit.” 

 

Filed Under: Rock Posters Tagged With: Archetypes, Archetypes:The Sperry Art Print Archive, Chuck Sperry, Chuck Sperry: Archetypes, Harman Projects, Muses, San Francisco

September 25, 2026 By squirt

Archetypes at de Young & Legion of Honor Museum Stores

The well-curated de Young & Legion of Honor Museum Stores have graciously hefted my new 680 page art book Archetypes onto their shelves for browsing and buying.
•••
Now both museum stores will carry both of my books: “Color x Color” & “Archetypes”!
•••
SIGNED COPIES of  “Archetypes” & “Color x Color” are now available online. Your purchase directly supports the collections and exhibitions of the de Young and Legion of Honor museums. I urge you to purchase my book there and kindly support the arts!
•••
BUY NOW & SUPPORT THE ARTS
•••

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Archetypes, Archetypes:The Sperry Art Print Archive, Chuck Sperry, Color X Color, Color x Color: The Sperry Poster Archive, de Young Museum, Legion of Honor, Museum Store

May 12, 2026 By squirt

“Chuck Sperry: Archetypes” Shows in Paris

“Chuck Sperry: Archetypes”
Art Génération • Paris
67 rue de la Verrerie 75004
June 13, 2026 – August 1, 2026
Opening: Saturday, June 13 – 6-10pm

“Chuck Sperry: Archetypes” shows in Paris!

ART GENERATION, PARIS is proud to present CHUCK SPERRY: ARCHETYPES, a watershed exhibition devoted to the artist’s decades long exploration of the archetypes of Greek mythology. The exhibit serves as a visual dialogue with the ideals that helped to shape the philosophical foundations of modern democracy.

Following Chuck Sperry’s exhibition this year at Fort Wayne Museum of Art & the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York — Paris will get a comprehensive gallery exhibition of dozens of Sperry’s world-renown original screen printed wood panels — and the international premier release of Sperry’s new 680 page art compendium Archetypes, The Sperry Art Print Archive 2009-2026.

With an eye to the democratizing influence of Sperry’s provocative printmaking on the art world, Sperry will be releasing:

New panels editions of 30: Juno, Courage, Pseudea, Iphigenia, Soeurs Jumelles, Danaïde, Love

A selection of archive wood panels
2 new Sperry Collectible Art Card sets

Paper prints:
Recent archive prints and posters!
Empathy (Oversize) 2025, edition of 200
Courage (Oversize) 2025, edition of 200
Midsummer Night’s Dream 2026, edition of 300 (variants: Sparkle foil, Lava foil) 

International Premier of Sperry’s new 680 page art book: Archetypes, The Sperry Art Print Archive 2009-2026

— and making them accessible and available to the public at ART GENERATION, PARIS — opening June 13, 2026.

Chuck Sperry, world famous rock concert poster maker for 30 years, renown for making posters for Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, The Grateful Dead, U2, Pearl Jam, The Beastie Boys, and The Black Keys. His personal art practice is moving him beyond master poster designer and printmaker — to art world phenomenon — his art pieces moving into the “urban art” genre. Beginning in 2009, many of Sperry’s art prints began to feature images of muses from Greek mythology, and are well received whether on auction or in galleries.

Sperry adds, “My posters and prints circulate through music venues, festivals, protests, and community gatherings like ritual objects—seeds sown across a cultural landscape. They carry archetypal meaning into shared spaces, encouraging viewers to see themselves as participants in this ongoing democratic experiment.”

“I think of my work from the last few years as defiant in these dark times. I like to think I give people courage through it. It gives me courage to work on it.” — Chuck Sperry

“Through the years my work has become a multi-various host of archetypes which unfolded organically through a long series of art prints. Archetypes is the synthesis of this journey: the illuminating path connecting personal and social catharsis,” says Chuck Sperry. “I believe that the gods and goddesses are attributes of the mind. What may appear on the face of things like a variety of pagan reverence is really a celebration of the human spirit.”

Read some French Press about the show:

JDS • Art Essentiel • L’Officiel des spectacles

Filed Under: Art Prints Tagged With: Archetypes, Archetypes:The Sperry Art Print Archive, Art Essentiel, Art Generation, Chuck Sperry, Chuck Sperry: Archetypes, JDS, l'Oeil LOuvert, L'Officiel des spectacles, Muses, Paris

March 25, 2026 By squirt

“Archetypes” Book Release Set for May 1, 2026

Published by Hangar 18
ISBN 979-8-9997105-1-2
Commentary by Steven Heller, Charles Bock, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger,
and Josef Zimmerman, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Curator of Contemporary Art
First Printing
10.5 x 12.875 x 2+ inches
680 pages / index
500+ color illustrations

ARCHETYPES: THE SPERRY ART PRINT ARCHIVE 2009-2026 is a complete collection of decades of the influential artist’s print work; it follows his trajectory from master poster designer and printmaker to art world phenomenon.

Archetypes gathers together all of Sperry’s masterfully screen printed wood panels, art prints, paintings, and tapestries of contemporary-classical muses: work inspired by the humanist spirit of the Greek mythology, urban art, and the utopian ethos of 1960s psychedelia. 100+ artworks paired with the prose or poem — from Homer to George Orwell — that inspired each. Ten sensitively captured photo stories by Shaun Roberts give the reader an intimate portrait of the artist at work and on exhibition in museums, galleries, and art spaces worldwide. Parallel to Sperry’s achievement of mainstream recognition, his history of social engagement and mythic exploration is illuminated throughout the 680 page compendium. Finally, a comprehensive presentation of every classic Sperry art work in his quest to forge a hopeful and fresh artistic vision, with a wide variety of insight provided by art critic Steven Heller, NYT bestselling author Charles Bock, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, and contemporary art curator Josef Zimmerman of the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.

The impetus to create this exhaustively complete book originates with the creation of an extensive special permanent collection of Sperry’s art to enter the archives of the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.

Fort Wayne in-person book release:
Friday, April 24, 6:30-9pm
Saturday, April 25, 1-4pm
Book Signing with Chuck Sperry at FWMOA
Included with FWMoA admission.

Online sale begins: May 1, 2026 • EQL premiere • Chuck Sperry Store

International sales begin this summer TBA.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Archetypes, Archetypes:The Sperry Art Print Archive, art books, Chuck Sperry, Chuck Sperry: Archetypes, Contemporary art, Poster Art, printmaking, Urban art

Latest News

  • “Chuck Sperry: Archetypes” Opening in San Francisco
  • Chuck Sperry’s Widespread Panic Poster Wins Award
  • Archetypes at de Young & Legion of Honor Museum Stores
  • Sperry’s Widespread Panic 40 Years Poster Release
  • Chuck Sperry’s 311 Poster Wins Award

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About Chuck Sperry

Chuck Sperry lives in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, where he’s made his particular style of rock poster designs for over 20 years. He operates Hangar 18, a silkscreen print studio, located in Oakland. Learn More…

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

Latest Blog Posts

  • “Chuck Sperry: Archetypes” Opening in San Francisco
  • Chuck Sperry’s Widespread Panic Poster Wins Award
  • Archetypes at de Young & Legion of Honor Museum Stores
  • Sperry’s Widespread Panic 40 Years Poster Release
  • Chuck Sperry’s 311 Poster Wins Award

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