Chuck Sperry

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Sperry at “Mermay” Art Show at Modern Eden Gallery

Siren by Chuck Sperry for Modern Eden Mermay
Siren, 2018
17.5 x 33
Oak Panel Edition of 30
7 colors on oak panel
Signed and Numbered

Originally produced in 2015 as a screenprint on paper for the ocean environmental activist foundation Pangea Seed, my latest print on oak panel, “Siren”, is meant as warning. My imagination has always been drawn to this mythical being – dangerous and enchanting – whose form is an enthralling warning. The Siren dances and sings like the sea itself, seducing us with her sound, movement and beauty.

Long ago, on November 5, 1965, prominent climate scientists Roger Revelle, Wallace Broecker, Charles Keeling, Harmon Craig, and J Smagorisnky met with US President Lyndon Johnson and warned him of their findings on Climate Change. By 1974, Wallace Broekner had modeled his prediction for the affects of accumulated carbon dioxide on the global surface temperature of the Earth.

His predictions remain accurate to this day.

I am alarmed by the state of our planet’s environment. I grew up with the warnings. The predicted changes are here now.

It’s clearly time to act. Please be mindful and give your care to the environment. It’s time to do what you can to become a good steward of the environment.

“Mermay” Art Show at Modern Eden Gallery 

Exhibition Dates: May 12–June 1, 2018

Opening Reception: May 12, 2018  6-9 pm

Wednesday–Saturday, 12 pm–6 pm

Modern Eden Gallery

801 Greenwich Street, San Francisco, CA 94133

(415) 956-3303

Inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Artists: Redd Walitzki, Kai Carpenter, Kelly McKernan, Sheri DeBow, Chuck Sperry, Glenn Arthur, Stephanie Law, Megan Buccere, Mary Syring, Jackie Gallagher, Kindra Nikole, Lara Dann, Marie Larkin, Jel Ena, Sybiline, Primary Hughes, Tracy Lewis, Julie Filipenko, Marie Eve-Proteau, Vahge, Paolo Petrangeli, Richard Ahnert, Amandalynn, Aunia Kahn, David Natale, Pippa McManus, Phillip Hua, Jessica So Ren Tang, Jessica Dalva, Michael Ramstead, Kurtis Rykovich, Erich J. Moffitt, Avery Palmer, & Rich Pellegrino

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

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“Aeon” by Sperry in “Universe: The Art of Existence”

AEON-SPERRY-WEB

Aeon, 2014
16 x 20
Edition of 10
7 color screen printed on white oak (framed)
Signed and Numbered (inside the image)

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A limited number of this edition of oak panels will be available through Modern Eden Gallery from April 12 until May 3, 2014.

Michael Cuffe (founder of the contemporary arts site Warholian) is curating an excellent group show at Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco. I’m very happy to announce I’m invited to take part.

My piece is called “Aeon” which has many meanings: life, being, age, forever, eternity, and in scientific cosmology refers to the cyclical period between Big Bangs. Plato used the word to refer to the eternal world of ideas. I like to think that the Universe is only matched by our capacity to imagine.

Opening Reception: Saturday April 12, 2014 6-10 pm
Exhibition Dates: April 12 – May 3, 2014

UNIVERSE: Art of Existence will bring together artists from San Francisco and beyond on the subject of space, the cosmos, galaxies, celestial bodies, planets, stars, etc. I also welcome the larger outer paradigm of the Universe to relate to things of an atomic scale such as elements of quantum physics, atoms, energy streams, etc. in the art works if the artist chooses. There are many ways an artist can create with the Universe subject matter. I want every artist to feel free to choose to be direct with their work, or to think outside of the box if they choose – the Universe itself is both an outer and inner world.

A fun fact about this exhibition is that it is being put together under a short time frame. I’m looking for fresh work, and new inspiring artistic ideas.  I’m hoping to see the artists really flow their best creative energy into this project – and see it as a joint effort – to be part of an exhibition that is also an experiment in creativity. It’s my belief, that after seeing so many bodies of work produced by a broad range of successful artists, that many works come together best under a deadline. It’s inspiring to realize the powerful potential of artists, and it’s so much more fun to see a large exhibition created in a short time frame!  Especially from such a talented group!

Featuring: Rick Berry, Trevor Young, Casey Gray, Charmaine Olivia, Mab Graves, John Wentz, Christina Mrozik, Jaclyn Alderete, Brenton Bostwick, Leilani Bustamante, Alec Huxley, Lyrica Glory, Meryl Pataky, Michael Cuffe, Steve Javiel, Melissa Morgan, Bradley Platz, Daniel J. Valadez, Helice Wen, Steve Hughes, Olivia Chen, Syd Bee, Cory Benhatzel, Chris Blackstock, Joshua Coffy, Ryan De La Hoz, Carly Ivan Garcia, Jane Kenoyer, Jake Kobrin, Hugh Leeman, Leon Loucheur, Johannah O’ Donnell, Rich Pellegrino, Jena Rockwood, Eve Skylar, Adam Caldwell, Michael Page, David Natale, Chuck Sperry, Xiau-Fong Wee, Adam Ziskie, Melissa Hartley, Marcos Lafarga, Lee Harvey Roswell, Allison “Hueman” Torneros, C3 – Christopher Charles Curtis, Martin Stensaas, David Marc Grant, Robert Bowen, Wendy Gadzuk, Andrea McLeod, Holly Matthews, Erik Flores, Donia, Amy Mastrine, Kaitlin Beckett, Lisa Kurt, Gemma Bayly, Penelope Moore, Peter Chan, Dave MacDowell, Scott Listfield, and a special online video performance art piece from Sarah Muehlbauer.

Archives

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

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