Chuck Sperry

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  • Books: Color x Color • Helikon • Chthoneon • Idyllion

December 29, 2018 By squirt

“Helikon” & “Chthoneon” The Art of Chuck Sperry

“Chthoneon, The Art of Chuck Sperry” delves boldly into Sperry’s artistic imagination, inspiration and reasoning, continuing where it’s companion book “Helikon, The Muses of Chuck Sperry” left off. “Chthoneon” collects 22 gorgeously photographed new Sperry screen printed art works paired with the prose or poem — from Aristophanes to Margaret Atwood — that inspired each.

Indeed, dozens of Sperry’s newest art pieces are presented across 136 pages, including an up-to-date collection of his masterfully screen printed wood panel series of contemporary-classical muses — work inspired by the spirit of the modern rock poster, graffiti, and the utopian ethos of 1960’s psychedelia;  his ground-breaking large format handwoven wool tapestries — with a moving photographic journal (by Shaun Roberts) of his visit to Guadalajara to meet the tapestry-makers;  his political posters created for official distribution at the Women’s March and March For Science — wildly successful fund-raisers for Planned Parenthood and science education programs. “Chthoneon” is overflowing with evocative and inspiring new work from one of America’s most popular, outspoken and important contemporary artists.

The reader is offered fresh insight with an extensive interview of Sperry by Spoke Art Gallery curator Dasha Matsuura — first published in Juxtapoz — beautifully illustrated with dozens of Shaun Roberts photos to create an intimate portrait of the artist at work.

Chuck Sperry’s newest book “Chthoneon” celebrates the divine feminine and the regenerative power of nature, gathering together work shown in his first museum solo exhibition “All Access” at Fort Wayne Museum of Art. Foreward by museum Curator of Contemporary Art, Josef Zimmerman:  “Chuck Sperry sees into a world that is unknown to most.”

Published by Hangar 18
Foreward by Josef Zimmerman, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Curator of Contemporary Art
Hardback Second Edition of 1500 / “Silver Edition”
Silver embossed cover (comes shrink-wrapped / not signed or numbered / only sign in-person at events)
9 x 12 inches / 136 pages
75 color illustrations
Printed and bound in the United States
ISBN: 978-0-9981407-3-5

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Published by Hangar 18
Foreward by Josef Zimmerman, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Curator of Contemporary Art
Hardback First Edition of 500 / “Gold Edition”
Gold embossed cover, signed and numbered
9 x 12 inches / 136 pages
75 color illustrations
Printed and bound in the United States
ISBN: 978-0-9981407-2-8

____________________

Helikon, The Muses of Chuck Sperry

“Helikon, The Muses of Chuck Sperry” gathers together Sperry’s masterfully screen printed wood panel series of contemporary-classical muses: work inspired by the spirit of the modern rock poster, graffiti, and the utopian ethos of 1960’s psychedelia.

“Helikon” presents 36 sumptuously photographed Sperrys paired with the prose or poem — from Homer to Nick Cave — that inspired each. Over a  dozen photos by Shaun Roberts give the reader an intimate portrait of the artist at work.

“Helikon” is Sperry’s beautifully designed, hand-bound coda to 5 years of artwork devoted to the perennial theme of Orphic Dionysian mysteries.

Foreward by New York Times’ bestselling author, Charles Bock, Beautiful Children, Alice & Oliver (Random House), and Best of NYC Culture 2016, Village Voice.

Helikon The Muses of Chuck Sperry

Published by Hangar 18
Foreward by Charles Bock
Hardback Second Edition of 2000 / “Silver Edition”
Silver embossed cover (comes shrink-wrapped / not signed or numbered / only sign in-person at events)
9 x 12 inches / 136 pages
54 color illustrations
Printed and bound in the United States
ISBN: 978-0-9981407-1-1

_____________________

Photo: Shaun Roberts from “Chthoneon”

“Sperry draws from a deep, classical tradition of storytelling to visualize the famed and obscure characters from mythology. He continues by personifying “Music,” “Justice,” and “Equity” — putting faces on the concepts that seem to inspire his work greatly. Vivid and striking, the works inside Helikon are beautiful on the surface, but combined with the text, both classical and modern, they give insight into the muses that drive Sperry to create.” – Liz Ohanesian, Hi-Fructose, The New Contemporary Art Magazine, vol. 43

“San Francisco artist Chuck Sperry has earned his right in the rock ‘n roll hall of fame….. not for music but for his incredible talent of designing and silkscreen printing distinctive rock posters, he has a slew of famous names that he has worked with and his artwork has been exhibited at some leading art and music institutions. Chuck has honed his craft to perfection, with 20 years of experience behind him.” — Kylie Dexter, Beautiful Bizarre

“In Helikon, the words transport us, allowing us to see Sperry’s work through fresh, yet ancient, eyes. Importantly, they drive from our minds thoughts of the transitory — that Tethys was first introduced to the world as a Dave Matthews poster; that Artemis and Naiad made their debuts before fans of the Black Keys; that Olympia, Daphne, Semele, and Thalia were Panic ladies before they were Sperry’s muses.” — Ben Marks, Wink Books

 

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Chthoneon, Chthoneon The Art of Chuck Sperry, Chuck Sperry, Helikon, Helikon The Muses of Chuck Sperry

December 11, 2018 By squirt

“The Oracle” & “The Seer” Blotter Art Release & Book Signing, Chuck Sperry at Shakedown Gallery, Haight Street

 

Shakedown Gallery is hosting “Drop The Mics: A Blotter Art Show”.

Join us Saturday, December 15, 2018 for the exclusive San Francisco release of two new Chuck Sperry blotter art pieces – “The Oracle” & “The Seer.” Chuck Sperry will be there in person to sign his books, “Chthoneon, The Art of Chuck Sperry” & “Helikon, The Muses of Chuck Sperry.”

“Drop The Mics: A Blotter Art Show”
Exhibition and pop-up gallery

Shakedown Gallery
411 Haight Street 
San Francisco, California

Exhibition: December 1, 2018 to January 1, 2019

Chuck Sperry blotter release and book signing: 
Saturday, December 15 – 3pm to 6 pm.
Random lottery numbers will be handed out at 2:30 pm, half an hour before the show.

The Oracle
6 x 9
Edition of 150
Perforated blotter sheet
Signed and Numbered

The Seer
6 x 9
Edition of 150
Perforated blotter sheet
Signed and Numbered

________________

Drop the Mics features an amazing collection of art by some of your favorite psychedelic and visionary artists. The show will feature many signed limited blotter art editions, plus rare archival prints including pieces from Mark McCloud’s notorious Institute of Illegal Images.

New and Pre-Released limited edition artwork will be available from:

Alex Grey, Stanley Mouse, Chuck Sperry
Mark Henson, Emek, Jonathan Singer
David Cooley, Richard Biffle, Sommer Biffle
Mark McCloud, Banjo, Jeff Wood
Mike DuBois, Jonathan Solter, Randal Roberts
Tripp, Sarah Farah, Mikio, William Giese
Lizzy Layne, Bigfoot, Jake Kobrin, Zoltron

Stay tuned to Shakedown Gallery for updates on additional events happening during the month.

Filed Under: Art Prints Tagged With: Alex Grey, Banjo, Bigfoot, Chthoneon The Art of Chuck Sperry, Chuck Sperry, David Cooley, Drop The Mics, EMEK, Helikon The Muses of Chuck Sperry, Jake Kobrin, Jeff Wood, Jonathan Singer, Jonathan Solter, Lizzy Layne, Mark Henson, Mark McCloud, Mike DuBois, Mikio, Randal Roberts, Richard Biffle, Sarah Farah, Shakedown Gallery, Sommer Biffle, Stanley Mouse, The Oracle, The Seer, Tripp, William Giese, Zoltron

April 17, 2018 By squirt

World Press: Nick Cave Releases Insanely Cool New Grinderman Inspired Skateboard Designed by Chuck Sperry

Nick Cave Skateboard by Chuck Sperry

Nick Cave Skateboard by Chuck Sperry

Nick Cave Skateboard by Chuck Sperry

 

by James Rettig, April 17, 2018 • Billboard

Back in 2015, Nick Cave teamed up with the Australian skate company Fast Times to make an official Nick Cave skateboard, with an illustration from San Francisco artist Chuck Sperry.

That same trio of collaborators has teamed up yet again for another board. This one’s inspired by “Heathen Child,” a song from Cave’s side project Grinderman. A banner on the top of the board features some lyrics from that track: “Hey little Moo Moo, light as a rainbow.”

The board comes in street and cruiser deck styles, and there’s also a t-shirt to go along with it — you can now order any of those world-wide from Fast Times Skateboarding here.

Nick Cave Skateboard by Chuck Sperry

Here’s a select list of links to articles dropping everywhere in the world press:

Billboard • Spin • NME • Uproxx • Stereogum • Go See Live Music • Post-Punk • Rolling Stone (Italy) • Happy (Australia) • Tone Deaf (Australia) • Oor (Holland) • News Monkey (Belgium) • RTBF (Belgium) • Far Out Magazine (UK) • Nova (Ireland) • Two Eggs (Japan) • Intro (Germany) • Rockol (Italy) • Blitz (Portugal) • Indie Rocks! (Mexico) • Filter (Mexico) • Marvin (Mexico) • Playtusu (Turkey) • Musika Zona (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

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This is one of many insanely cool projects I’ve collaborated with Nick Cave on. In addition to a number of beautiful rock posters I’ve made for Mr. Cave, Nick was kind enough to contribute his lyrics from “The Lyre of Orpheus” from “Abbatoir Blues” to my collection of art and poetry, “Helikon, The Muses of Chuck Sperry” :

Helikon, The Muses of Chuck Sperry

Helikon is Available Here

Helikon, The Muses of Chuck Sperry

Filed Under: Press & Reviews, Rock Posters Tagged With: Chuck Sperry, Fast Times, Grinderman, Helikon The Muses of Chuck Sperry, Nick Cave, Skateboard

April 9, 2018 By squirt

Create Magazine: “Heaven of Many a Tangled Hue” Sperry solo at Spoke Art SF until April 28

Heaven of Many a Tangled Hue

a solo show by Chuck Sperry

April 7 – 28, 2018

Spoke SF is pleased to present “Heaven of Many a Tangled Hue”, a solo exhibition by the prolific San Francisco-based artist and master screen printer Chuck Sperry. For his third solo exhibition with Spoke Art, Sperry has created a verdant garden of new work tended by his signature shimmering muses.

Informed by art historical figures such as Gustave Moreau and William Morris, combined with the poetry of P.B. Shelley, Greek Mythology and his home in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, Chuck Sperry has cultivated a distinct style brimming with exuberance and energy. Combined with his masterful printing expertise, Sperry creates ethereal and psychedelically saturated screen prints that draw crowds and dedicated fans around the world.

Creating work for musicians such as The Who, Patti Smith and The Black Keys in addition to his fine art screen prints on panel, Chuck Sperry has also used his artwork for social activism and change. The artist describes his political participation – “Freedom of Speech is our most powerful weapon, and it’s a driving force in my art.”

The exhibition will be on view through Saturday, April 28th.

For more information or additional images, please email Spoke Art Gallery at [email protected].

__________

Read Full article in Create Magazine here

Learn more about Chuck’s newest art book “Helikon, The Muses of Chuck Sperry”

Chuck Sperry Hangar 18 Heaven of Many a Tangled Hue

“Agapé”

“Circe”

“The Ostracon”

“Rhyme”

“Reason”

Filed Under: News, Press & Reviews Tagged With: Chuck Sperry, Heaven of Many a Tangled Hue, Helikon The Muses of Chuck Sperry, Spoke Art

November 27, 2017 By squirt

Sperry’s New Art Print at Art Basel Miami / Context Art Fair with Spoke Art Gallery

The Ostracon by Chuck Sperry

The Ostracon, 2017
20 x 34
Edition of 150
7 colors on cream paper
Signed and Numbered
_______________

I will be making a very limited release of “The Ostracon” and it’s variants, my fourth and final Jerry Garcia portrait, with a very special book signing of “Helikon”  – Thursday, December 7, 2017 at 2 pm – through Spoke Art Gallery at Context Art Fair during Art Basel Miami.

Please visit us at Spoke Art Booth C133!

Read More: Sperry’s beautiful new art book, “Helikon, The Muses of Chuck Sperry” (2017)

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Notes on “The Ostracon”

Ostrakon. (in ancient Greece) a potsherd, especially one used as a ballot on which the name of a person voted to be ostracized was inscribed.

“At any time, by a majority of votes written secretly upon potsherds (ostraka), the Assembly, in a quorum of six thousand members, might send into exile for ten years any man who in its judgement had become a danger to the state. In this way ambitious leaders would be stimulated to conduct themselves with circumspection and moderation, and men suspected of conspiracy could be disposed of without the law’s delay.”

— Will Durant, The Life of Greece, The Story of Civilization, Part II

While working on my book “Helikon” my work has been driven and inspired by the spirit of the ancient Greek muses and Greek mythology; Greek myths fill my art and my printmaking with theme and motif.

My creative roots are in the San Francisco poster movement which began in the utopian spirit of social experimentation in the Haight-Ashbury, where I live today. I look sometimes at my early rock poster work through be-mused glass; music was viewed as “therapy” by the Greeks. Confirmation that the ancients were well-attuned. Anyone who knows the rock concert experience as I do, knows rock fans feel this way still today.

Art for music concerts is a popular business, something with which the fine art world may be uncomfortable. In a democracy full of popular businesses, Art recently realizes it is also one. I hope my art serves as a democratizing influence in the sphere of fine art and in the culture at large.

Since the election of November 2016, I’ve refocussed on my political motivations, and I’ve aimed to make a social impact with my work. Following the popularity of my 2011 Occupy poster “This Is Our City, And We Can Shut It Down” I created a related typographic propaganda poster for the Women’s March of January 2017, “Resist Sexism, Racism, Xenophobia, Homophobia, Ignorance, Corruption and Hate.” 

I made another poster which became emblematic of the March for Science of April 22, 2017.

I was pleased to see that my March for Science posters reached the lectern of the demonstration where keynote speaker Bill Nye posed with NASA astronaut Leland Melvin alongside my poster image. My Women’s March poster and my Occupy poster were recognized by inclusion in the United States Library of Congress and in exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. It’s sincerely gratifying to receive  institutional recognition, but the pressing point is to open minds and to inspire participation in our democratic society.

Long ago as a teen I was packed off to college with Will and Ariel Durant’s eleven volume “Story of Civilization” by my enlightened parents who felt these books a necessary provision for well-rounded citizenship. I am always most drawn to volume 2, “The Life of Greece.” I re-read this book constantly.

The Will Durant passage above — which describes the ancient Greek institution of democratic ostracism — was part of my inspiration for my newest art print “The Ostracon.” His words describing ancient greek polity spark thoughts of a vibrant, if messy and flawed, democracy. Today’s news is filled with a similar vibrance and messiness: impeachment, investigations, and a series of scandalous banishments. American democracy has been going through unimaginable upheavals in the last year; ostracism is in the air.

In researching more deeply into ostracism, I encountered the words of august archeologist Professor John McK Camp II, Director of the Agora Excavations of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens and professor of classics at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. I contacted him to ask permission to attach his words to my art; he generously agreed. Prof. John Camp offers — in a spirit of openness and possibility — the concept of democratic ostracism as an interesting solution in this peculiar era of American democracy:

“The United States has borrowed lots from the ancient Greeks, including such bedrock items as architecture, the Olympics, coinage, theater, and, most important, the concept of democracy. Visitors to Athens can still view the official drinking cups and tableware used in the 5th century BC, when legislators were wined and dined at state expense. Not much, in fact, has changed since antiquity except the technology.

“One aspect of ancient political life has not been adopted, however, and perhaps it’s time to bring it back: ostracism. Once a year the Athenians would meet and vote on a simple question: Is anyone aiming at a tyranny, is anyone becoming a threat to the democracy? If a simple majority voted yes, then they dispersed and reassembled two months later. They brought with them their ostracon (a fragment of pottery), on which they had scratched the name of the person they thought represented a threat. The man with the most votes lost. He was exiled for 10 years, and this was thought to calm any anti-democratic leanings he might have.” 

— John McK Camp II,

(From “Ostracized in Athens,”  The New York Times, July 24, 2003 by permission of the author)

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Art Basel, Art Basel Miami, Chuck Sperry, Context Art Fair, Helikon, Helikon The Muses of Chuck Sperry, Spoke Art

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Online Release with EQL
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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

  • Sperry Solo “Universal” Coming to Paris
  • Sperry in Popland 2025 at KochxBos Gallery, Amsterdam
  • Chuck Sperry’s Alice Donut Poster
  • Chuck Sperry’s “The Mystic” & “Iphigenia” Blotters • 
Online Release with EQL
  • Available Now: Chuck Sperry’s Newest Protest Art Poster

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