Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Destroying The Weak 1 (White)”
Summary
A stark black-and-white screen print depicting two muscular nude figures locked in a brutal struggle, with a dominant assailant looming over and gripping a crouched, fallen victim who raises a defensive clenched fist. Composed inside a white circular tondo against a black field, it is a definitive example of Cleon Peterson's flat, high-contrast vocabulary of violence and domination drawn directly from Greek vase painting.
Why It Matters
Destroying The Weak" distills Peterson's central obsession — the predatory abuse of power and the brutality beneath civilization — into a single, unflinching image of the strong overwhelming the weak. The circular tondo format and figural silhouettes deliberately echo the black-figure pottery of antiquity, reframing classical aesthetics as a timeless commentary on cruelty and social Darwinism. Reduced to pure black and white, the print carries Peterson's message with maximum graphic force and is among his most direct statements on conflict.
Collector Perspective
A 2015 screen print in a small edition of just 20, hand-signed and numbered in pencil by the artist — one of the scarcer color states in Peterson's print output (issued alongside companion red and black variants). The tiny edition size makes it considerably harder to source than his more common 100–150 run prints, and it appeals to collectors seeking a graphically pure, monochrome example of his work. Market for Peterson editions is active but thinner than for Shepard Fairey, so a 20-piece run sits in the limited-availability segment rather than a mass-traded one.
Historical Context
Created in 2015, during the period when Peterson's reputation was consolidating through gallery shows and his ongoing collaborations within the Shepard Fairey/Obey orbit. The work belongs to his mature body of stark figurative prints exploring power, violence and societal collapse, and the "Destroying The Weak" motif — issued in multiple colorways including this white (black-and-white) version — exemplifies his strategy of pairing classical Greek compositional devices with contemporary themes of dominance and aggression.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
Two muscular nude figures inside a white circle: a standing aggressor looms over and grips a crouched, kneeling victim who raises a clenched fist in defense — a scene of one figure violently overpowering another.
What is the edition size?
The edition is limited to 20 prints.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. This impression is hand-signed in pencil by Cleon Peterson at the lower right and numbered at the lower left.
What is the medium?
It is a screen print, produced in 2015. This is the white (black-and-white) colorway, part of the 'Destroying The Weak' series that was also released in other color states.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for stark, high-contrast scenes of violence, power and social conflict, drawing on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art. He is a frequent collaborator of Shepard Fairey.
Related Works
About the Artist
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for stark, high-contrast scenes of violence, power and social conflict, rendered in a flat, limited palette of black, white, red and gold. His chaotic compositions of fighting, clubbing and writhing figures expose the abuse of power and the brutality beneath civilization’s surface, drawing on classical Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art. A frequent collaborator with Shepard Fairey, he shows internationally; his prints, sculptures and editions are widely collected in the urban-contemporary market.
Collecting Cleon Peterson at Gauntlet Gallery
Where can I buy authentic Cleon Peterson prints?
Gauntlet Gallery offers an extensive, authenticated inventory of Cleon Peterson prints and contemporary editions, with new drops added regularly. Browse the current collection at gauntlet.gallery.
How does Gauntlet Gallery ensure authenticity?
Gauntlet Gallery is built on curation, authenticity and transparency — every work is vetted and its provenance, edition details and condition are disclosed up front.
Does Gauntlet Gallery add new Cleon Peterson prints?
Yes. New drops are released regularly across Cleon Peterson and other leading artists; see gauntlet.gallery for the latest inventory.