Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Into The Sun (Light)”
Summary
Into The Sun (Light) is a 2016 Cleon Peterson screen print depicting a brutal melee of four nude figures — two black silhouetted aggressors swinging clubs against two gold-toned figures, one crouching in defense and one sprawled prone on the ground. Rendered in Peterson's signature flat black, gold, and white palette, it is a characteristic frieze of mob violence and the abuse of power that defines his mature body of work.
Why It Matters
The print distills Peterson's central thesis — that brutality lies just beneath the surface of civilization — into a single charged tableau. The interlocked bodies, raised clubs, and a fallen figure underfoot read like a fragment of a Greek vase or a Hogarthian scene of moral collapse, translated into the stark graphic language of street art. The black/gold contrast sharpens the moral asymmetry between attacker and victim without resolving who is right, leaving the viewer with an unflinching image of domination and suffering. As a companion to its darker counterpart, Into The Sun (Light) sits squarely within the artist's recurring meditation on power, aggression, and the cyclical nature of human conflict.
Collector Perspective
Issued in 2016 as a screen print in a small edition of 28, this is a scarce release relative to Peterson's larger open and standard editions, which typically run into the hundreds. Editions this size are usually hand-signed and numbered by the artist in pencil along the lower margin, and were likely paired with a darker (Dark) variant — collectors often pursue both as a diptych, which can lift demand for either half. As a tightly editioned, fully resolved multi-figure composition rather than a single-figure study, it carries above-average desirability among Peterson collectors. Condition (clean margins, no handling creases) and the presence of the signature and numbering are the primary value drivers at this edition size.
Historical Context
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) rose to prominence in the early-to-mid 2010s with stark scenes of fighting, beating, and social predation that draw on classical Greek vase painting, Hogarth's moral narratives, and contemporary street art. By 2016 he was working at the height of this period, producing limited screen prints that compress his large-scale paintings and murals into graphic, high-contrast multiples. Into The Sun (Light) belongs to this body of work and its restrained black-gold-white palette, a recurring signature alongside his black/white/red schemes, and reflects his ongoing engagement with the abuse of power and the violence embedded in human society.
FAQ
What does Into The Sun (Light) depict?
Four nude figures locked in violent combat: two black silhouetted attackers wielding clubs strike at two gold-toned figures, one kneeling in defense and one lying prone on the dark ground beneath them. It is a scene of mob violence and domination, a recurring subject in Peterson's work.
How large is the edition?
The edition size is 28, making it a scarce release compared to Peterson's larger standard and open editions.
Is the print signed and numbered?
Editions of this size are typically hand-signed and numbered by the artist in pencil in the lower margin. Buyers should confirm the signature and numbering are present and legible for a given example.
What is the medium?
It is a hand-pulled screen print produced in 2016, using Peterson's flat black, gold, and white palette.
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. He draws on Greek vase painting, Hogarth, and street art, and is a frequent collaborator with 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.