Clio, 2019
21 x 31
Edition of 100
6 colors on cream paper
Signed and Numbered
Variants: Sparkle Foil, Lava Foil and Satin Black
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“Clio” will be available at Spoke Art booth 675 starting Thursday, October 3, 2019.
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I’m very proud to announce my newest art piece, devoted to the muse “Clio” which I’ve made especially for release at Spoke Art Gallery’s appearance in New York City at the New York Comic Con.
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Clio is the Muse of history, daughter of memory. I suggest we remember where we came from, how we got here, who we are, and where we are going. History is not only a collection of objective facts; history is also a story. How we organize those objective facts says a lot about who we are, or who we want to be.
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When I realized I wanted more than anything to be a practicing artist, I realized I would devote my life to the muses. (That’s how I might organize my history, tell my story.)
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To The Muses – Orphic Hymn 75*
To those whose breasts your sacred furies fire much-form’d, the objects of supreme desire:
Sources of blameless virtue to mankind, who form to excellence the youthful mind;
Who nurse the soul, and give her to descry the paths of right with Reason’s steady eye.
Commanding queens who lead to sacred light the intellect refin’d from Error’s night;
And to mankind each holy rite disclose, for mystic knowledge from your nature flows.
Clio, and Erato, who charms the sight, with thee Euterpe minist’ring delight:
Thalia flourishing, Polymina fam’d, Melpomene from skill in music nam’d:
Terpischore, Urania heav’nly bright, with thee who gav’st me to behold the light.
Come, venerable, various, pow’rs divine, with fav’ring aspect on your mystics shine;
Bring glorious, ardent, lovely, fam’d desire, and warm my bosom with your sacred fire.
Sources of blameless virtue to mankind, who form to excellence the youthful mind;
Who nurse the soul, and give her to descry the paths of right with Reason’s steady eye.
Commanding queens who lead to sacred light the intellect refin’d from Error’s night;
And to mankind each holy rite disclose, for mystic knowledge from your nature flows.
Clio, and Erato, who charms the sight, with thee Euterpe minist’ring delight:
Thalia flourishing, Polymina fam’d, Melpomene from skill in music nam’d:
Terpischore, Urania heav’nly bright, with thee who gav’st me to behold the light.
Come, venerable, various, pow’rs divine, with fav’ring aspect on your mystics shine;
Bring glorious, ardent, lovely, fam’d desire, and warm my bosom with your sacred fire.
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The Orphic Hymns are at the foundation of the ancient Greek religion, as it was practiced during the Golden Age, at that civilization’s height, during its struggle to begin to define democracy, art, science, and reason. I feel we are at a place where human beings must define again democracy, art, science, and reason. What sort of Age awaits us?
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My history, I’ve been working on art devoted to the muses and Greek religion for many years, showing my work in gallery settings worldwide, art fairs and museums. That said, the New York Comic Convention has been a great forum to release new muses. I released “Demeter” at NYCC through Spoke Art in 2017, and “Justice” in 2014. My wood panel art print of “Justice” was acquired by the Fort Wayne Museum of Art in 2017. My large-scale, hand-woven tapestry of “Demeter” was acquired by the Fort Wayne Museum of Art in 2018. I love this electrical arc between popular art and fine art institution.
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Visit Spoke Art booth 675 starting Thursday, October 3, 2019.
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*You can find “To The Muses” in Sperry’s book “Helikon” (2016)
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Read more about Sperry’s books “Helikon, The Muses of Chuck Sperry” (2016) and “Chthoneon, The Art of Chuck Sperry” (2017)
