Sculptures on Steroids: Stuart Asprey

by Katlyn Roberts, OVAC Intern

Stuart Asprey, The Chemist (Jose Canseco, 3”x3”x1.25”, 2011 

With two art shows coming up at the beginning of 2012, Norman artist Stuart Asprey has received an Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition Professional Basics Grant to present a new series. His work will be featured in Art Now at City Arts Center in January and a solo exhibition at Redlands Community College in April.

Stuart Asprey, The Chemist (Jose Canseco)[back], 3”x3”x1.25”, 2011

Asprey describes his work as being part of a narrative that plays off of legends of popular culture.  This collection is based on the “Steroid Era” of professional baseball that took place in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. Asprey aims to stress the point that, at that time, performance enhancers, “trumped hard work and natural talent.” He said the deflated baseballs are juxtaposed with “inflated statistics” of steroid enhanced baseball players.

His grant will pay for baseball display cases for the sculptures. 

The Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition invests in artists’ project through grants for growing careers, creative projects and exceptional continuing education. The next application deadline is January 15. Find guidelines and application here.