Chuck Sperry

By

The Black Keys, Greenville, South Carolina, December 13, 2014

TBK-GREENVILLE-WEB

The Black Keys, Greenville, NC
20 x 34
Edition of 330
7 colors on cream paper
Signed and Numbered
Sold Out – Thank You!
_______________
BLACK-KEYS-GVL-GOLD
The Black Keys, Greenville, NC
20 x 34
Gold Edition of 25
7 colors on gold metallic paper
Signed and Numbered
Sold Out – Thank You!
_______________
BLACK-KEYS-GVL-WAVE
The Black Keys, Greenville, NC
20 x 34
Wave Foil Edition of 25
7 colors on wave foil
Signed and Numbered
Sold Out – Thank You!
_______________

By

“Muses” at Spoke Art, Sperry Solo Art Show on Saturday

1891530_758703997516343_4266741651783311101_o

Opening night reception: Saturday November 29th, 2014 (6PM- 10PM)
On view until: Saturday, December 20th, 2014
Spoke Art (816 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA)
Hashimoto Contemporary (804 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA)

Spoke Art and Hashimoto Contemporary are pleased to present Muses, a new solo exhibition featuring the work of San Francisco based print artist Chuck Sperry. Reigning over the gig poster scene for well over a decade, Chuck has pulled a plethora of ultra rarities from his archives and flat files. The show will be broken up into two parts, with a new body of work consisting of wood panels and paper editions at Spoke Art Gallery and an extensive retrospective on display just a few doors down at Hashimoto Contemporary.

ARIADNE COLOR WEB

After fifteen wildly successful years creating memorable gig posters and fine art work, Sperry ventures into this exhibition with momentous force. With a massive following of collectors and fans by his side, Chuck continues his on-going series of Muses, creating a new body of work that is as breathtaking as it is skillful. Playing off the classical greco-roman idea of “muse”, being a source of inspiration for all things art and music. Sperry’s figures are emblematic of the energetic creative spirit represented in his work and the bands he showcases. Influenced by the psychedelic art nouveau style, Chuck has propelled the American rock poster genre to a new level of fine art status with his print work. With impeccable precision, Sperry utilizes up to 9 color layers in his complex designs, the result is dazzling display of female figures enveloped in expressive patterns.

10373484_10152819144325428_8313556816447262613_n

For his solo show at Spoke Art, Sperry will be presenting some of his most iconic images from his most famous gig posters on new oak panels. In addition to these revived classics, there will be one new paper edition print release, in congruence with the rest of the show. Just a few doors down at Hashimoto Contemporary, a sweeping museum-like display of Rock Poster history will be on view in the form of extremely rare gig posters from Chuck’s personal flat files, all custom-framed and fully archival.

Muses opens on Saturday November 29th from 6 to 10 pm. All sales will be conducted in a first come first serve manner with limits per collector. Complimentary beverages will be served and the artist will be in attendance.

10365877_10154895768925714_2111359702259832192_n

By

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

By

“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
_____________
A limited number of this edition of oak panels will be available through Modern Eden Gallery from October 18 until November 1, 2014.
–
“Le Chat Noir”
Modern Eden Gallery
801 Greenwich Street, San Francisco
–
Opening Reception: Saturday October 18, 2014 6-9 pm
Exhibition Dates: October 18 – November 1, 2014
–
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.
______________
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.
–
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.
–
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.
–
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.
–
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.
–
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.
–
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

Archives

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

Latest Blog Posts