Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Out Of Darkness (Gold)”
Summary
A circular gold-disc composition in which three muscular black silhouetted figures grapple and trample over a writhing field of pale ghostly bodies, one wielding a knife and another locked in a strangling embrace. It is a quintessential Cleon Peterson tableau of brutal physical domination, rendered in his stark black, white and metallic-gold palette.
Why It Matters
The print distills Peterson's central preoccupation: the cyclical, almost ritual nature of human violence and the abuse of power. The tondo (circular medallion) format and the figures' flattened, contorted poses deliberately echo ancient Greek vase painting, recasting classical heroic combat as a timeless, faceless scene of bodies overpowering bodies. The gold ground lends it the gravity of a coin or icon, elevating raw aggression to something monumental and mythic. It is a strong, legible example of the visual language that made Peterson one of the most recognizable figurative artists to emerge from the street-art and gallery crossover scene.
Collector Perspective
This is the gold variant of Out Of Darkness, a 2018 screen print in a tight edition of 28, hand-signed and numbered by the artist. The small edition size puts it well below Peterson's larger open-palette runs and makes it considerably harder to source than his more common black-and-white or red editions. As a metallic gold colorway with a bold tondo composition, it carries strong visual appeal for collectors building a focused Peterson holding, and trades within the active secondary market that surrounds his work and his Shepard Fairey associations. A solid mid-tier acquisition rather than a marquee piece.
Historical Context
Created in 2018, the print belongs to the mature phase of Peterson's career, after his End of Empire body of work cemented his reputation for dissecting power and brutality through a classical lens. The circular gold-ground format and trampling combatants connect directly to his ongoing dialogue with Greek vase painting and antique imagery of warfare, reframed for a contemporary audience preoccupied with social conflict and authoritarianism.
FAQ
What does Out Of Darkness (Gold) depict?
Three black silhouetted figures fight, strangle and trample across a circular gold medallion crowded with pale, prone bodies, one attacker brandishing a knife. It is a scene of physical domination and overpowering force, central to Peterson's work on violence and power.
How large is the edition?
The edition is just 28 prints, making this gold variant scarce relative to Peterson's larger color editions.
Is the print signed and numbered?
Yes. It is hand-signed and numbered by Cleon Peterson, typically in pencil in the lower margin.
What is the medium?
It is a screen print on paper, produced in 2018, using Peterson's signature flat black, white and metallic-gold 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 that draw 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.