Posted on by kthompson

Friday the 13th: Spooky (Sperry) Season

Lauren Wolfer, Assoc. Curator of Special Collections & Archives

It’s spooky season! Are you still looking for the perfect Halloween costume? For this Friday the 13th, we thought we’d share with you some ideas from a handful of the over 1,000 prints gifted (!!!) to us by rock poster artist Chuck Sperry. In doing so, he has joined several other archived artists within the collection.

Are you going as a creepy, scary goblin or zombie for the annual Zombie Walk downtown, part of Fright Night, on October 21?

A skeleton in a formal suit and fedora sits on a chair.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. The Avett Brothers, Hill Auditorium. Screenprint on paper; 4 colors (cream), 2015. Gift of the Artist.
An alien.
Chuck Sperry, American. b. 1962. No Alternative, Annie’s Social Club. Screenprint on paper; 5 colors, 2006. Gift of the Artist.
A man with two faces, one normal and one grotesque.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Thee Headcoats, Bimbo’s 365 Club. Screenprint on paper; 6 colors, 1999. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.

Inspired by any artists? Did you go to the Vincent van Gogh light shows at the Coliseum or down in Indy?

A skeleton sits on a beach playing the guitar surrounded by candles.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Old Zombie Guitarist . Screenprint on paper; 6 colors, 2001. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A woman with red hair.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. 311, Austin City Limits, The Moody Theater. Screenprint on paper; 6 colors on blue mirror foil, 2015. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A pixelated Vincent van Gogh.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Kraftwerk, Paradiso, Amsterdam. Screenprint on paper; 4 colors on wave foil, 2015. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FMWoA.

Maybe something time period related? Have any clothes from parents or grandparents that can come in handy?

A man in a suit of armor.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Motörhead, The Warfield. Screenprint on paper; 2 colors on black paper, 2009. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A woman with a mink.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Soundgarden, Fox Theater. Screenprint on paper; 5 colors on metallic bronze paper, 2013. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A man rides a motorcycle uphill while an owl flies before him.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. The Avett Brothers, Gilford, New Hampshire. Screenprint on paper; 6 colors on metallic gold opal paper, 2015. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A man in top hat and coattails sits astride a chair smoking a cigar.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Edwardian Ball, The Last Ball. Screenprint on paper; 5 colors (cream), 2023. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A Greek goddess-like woman poses.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. 311, The Greek Theater, Berkeley. Screenprint on paper; 5 colors on holographic lava foil, 2021. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FMWoA.
A man in a plaid suit rides a plaid scooter.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Fillmore. Offset lithograph on paper, 1994. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A woman sits on top of a car.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Rock ‘N’ Roll Weekender, Waldorf, Germany. Screenprint on paper; 8 colors, 2000. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.

Looking to do more of a beauty look over a scary one? A glamourous goddess or mermaid?

A woman in a dress looks to the side.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. The Key To Everything. Screenprint on paper; 7 colors on wave foil, 2013. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMOA.
A mermaid lays on a bed of kelp in this holographic poster.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Pearl Jam, Miami. Screenprint on paper; 5 colors on holographic lava foil, 2016. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A woman in gold with golden hair looks directly at the viewer.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Omega. Screenprint on paper; 6 colors (cream), 2012. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.

Are you interested in our space neighbors, the aliens? An occasion to dress for exploration?

An alien in a spacesuit.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. 311, Merriweather Post Pavilion. Screenprint on paper; 4 colors on satin black paper, 2019. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
An astronaut salutes from atop the moon.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Luna. Screenprint on paper; 3 colors on metallic blue paper, 2015. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
An astronaut salutes from atop the moon.
Chuck Sperry, Amerian, b. 1962. March for Science, Earth Day. Offset lithograph on paper, two sided, 2017. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A woman sits in a spacesuit on a spaceship looking at the man.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Swinging Lovehammers, Rock ‘N’ Roll New Year’s Eve Ball. Screenprint on paper; 6 colors, 2007. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.

Do you like to surprise people with a weird or quirky costume? Maybe pull a Katy Perry and show up dressed as a cheeseburger? Or as your favorite childhood dinosaur, Barney?

Godzilla eats a car while a man with half his face chewed off runs in terror features on this concert poster.
Chuck Sperry, Amercan, b. 1962. Halloween, Trailor Park Trash. Screenprint on paper; 7 colors, 1997. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
Barney features on this rock concert poster.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Steel Pole Bath Tub, Trocadero. Screenprint on paper; 5 colors, 1995. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A hamburger against a black background.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Bad Religion, L’Usine, Geneva, Switzerland. Screenprint on paper; 5 colors, 2002. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.

Maybe you’re a movie buff and enjoy dressing as your favorite celebrity? Terminator anyone? I’ll be baaaaaack!

Supermodel Twiggy features on this spiraled black and white concert poster.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Psych Out Festival, 30th Anniversary, Torino, Italy. Screenprint on paper; 1 color, 2019. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has turned into Frankenstein for this rock concert poster.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Untitled (These Colors Don’t Run). Screenprint on paper, 2003. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.

Do you like to fully embrace Halloween and try to scare as many people as possible?

A demented clown face features on this poster, long tongue hanging from his mouth like a snake.
Orion Landau. Untitled (Temporary Insanity!, Off the Wall Gallery, San Francisco). Screenprint on paper. Courtesy of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A woman with long pink hair twisted up cries against a green background.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Public Image Limited, Regency Grand Ballroom. Screenprint on paper; 5 colors on canvas textured black paper, mutant black edition, 2010. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.

Like solving a mystery? Saving the day? Stopping the bad guys?

A woman dressed as an astronaut stands in a space-ship like area.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Love and Rockets, Cane’s. Screenprint on paper; 8 colors, uncut, 2008. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A woman detective stands at a desk, typewriter behind her, smoking while a man's shoulders and back face the viewer.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Hail Caesar!, The Starlet, Movie Premiere Poster. Screenprint on paper; 10 colors on metallic gold opal paper, 2016. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.

Are you a plant person? Is your home a jungle because you can’t stop picking up plants?

A woman makes the peace sign with sunflowers in her hair.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Dave Matthews Band, Gorge Amphitheatre. Screenprint on paper; 6 colors on holographic sparkle foil, 2019. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A woman, facing the viewer, crouches in a tree in a golden robe with flowers adorning her hair.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Widespread Panic, Savannah Civic Center. Screenprint on paper; 7 colors on silver speckled pink paper, 2016. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A woman with flowers in her hair faces the viewer.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Untitled (Grateful Mahalo, Billy Kreutzmann’s 75th Birthday Pa’ina, hosted by Billy & The Kids, with Billy Strings). Screenprint on paper; 7 colors on black satin paper, 2021. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A sprite runs through a forested glen.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. moe., Ogden Theatre, Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Screenprint on paper; 7 colors, 2019. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A blue-skinned, red-haired woman faces the viewer against a flowered background.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Untitled (Pythia). Screenprint on paper; 7 colors on metallic silver paper, 2021. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.

Want to dress as a pair with a friend or significant other?

A poster for a concert featuring two women cowgirls, colored like aliens, standing in front of Mars-like rocks.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Sci-Fi Western, 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco. Screenprint on paper; 7 colors, 2003. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
A poster for band Leftover Salmon featuring the twin redheaded girls from the Stephen King novel "The Shining", in their matching blue dresses.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Leftover Salmon, The Stanley Hotel. Screenprint on paper; 6 colors (cream), 2015. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
Poster for Dave Matthews Band featuring a knight on a horse spearing a dragon.
Chuck Sperry, American, b. 1962. Dave Matthews Band & Tim Reynolds, London. Screenprint on paper; 5 colors (cream), 2017. Gift of the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.

Still looking for inspiration? Visit FWMoA on our free nights, Thursday 5pm-8pm, for even more art turned costume idea!

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