Chris Shaw teamed up with Chuck Sperry to make Pearl Jam’s Oslo, Norway poster. While Chuck and I have made Pearl Jam posters in the mid-1990’s, the Oslo’s Pearl Jam poster is a mix of New School and Old School Rock Poster Art.

Since the theme of the PJ tour posters is VS, we immediately thought of a Ying-Yang form as a good way to communicate that idea.

Then we thought of that crazy ‘Norway Spiral’ that filled the night sky over Norway a couple years back (because we both love unexplained and mysterious phenomena like that, even if it was probably a Russian rocket spinning out of control).

We gave it a psychedelic edge by making a Ying-Yang out of the form of the Norway Spiral, and creating two flying eyeballs, representing the opposing forces of Fire and Water. We wanted this poster to have a touch of skater punk, Psychedelia, and to just be iconic and bad-ass.

The small, subtle, silver spirals in the background, not only mirrors the Ying-Yang of the central image, but is inspired by Rosemalling, which is a Norwegian folk-art of decorative painting. This form of decoration originated in the rural valleys of Norway during the Baroque and Rococo Period in the mid 18th Century. It was a folk response to the intricate designs the wealthy folks in Norway were importing. The forms are usually simple and based on “C” and “S” forms. That seemed appropriate since Chris Shaw and Chuck Sperry are both “CS” names.

Both Chuck & I are releasing our Artist Editions on Monday, July 16, 2012 at a random time on ChuckSperry.net.

Pearl Jam with X poster by Chuck Sperry VS. Chris Shaw
Oslo, Norway
July 9, 2012
22″ x 33″
Artist Edition of 200
5 Colors, Archival Cream Paper
Signed & Numbered