Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Between Man & God (Black)”
Summary
A dense, friezelike screen print in Cleon Peterson's signature flat palette of black, white and metallic gold, "Between Man & God (Black)" depicts a chaotic mass of nude figures locked in beating, dragging and slaughtering one another across a black void. Bodies armed with clubs, swords and blades attack the fallen while severed and writhing forms collapse among scattered skulls, a definitive statement of Peterson's ongoing investigation into the brutality hidden beneath organized power and belief.
Why It Matters
This print distills the core argument of Peterson's practice: that civilization, religion and authority are thin veneers over an animal capacity for cruelty. The composition borrows directly from the visual grammar of classical Greek vase painting and architectural friezes, with figures arranged in a continuous horizontal band of combat, then strips it down to a stark black-white-gold field that reads as both ancient and contemporary. The "Between Man & God" title frames the violence as the human condition caught between earthly brutality and the false promise of the divine, making this one of the more thematically loaded statements in his black-and-white body of work.
Collector Perspective
This is the black colorway of "Between Man & God," a screen print released in 2018 in an edition of just 28. That is a notably small run for a Peterson print, placing it among the scarcer editions in his catalog and well below his more common runs of 100 to 200. Editions this size are typically hand-signed and numbered by the artist. The compact edition combined with the layered metallic gold and the ambitious large-format frieze composition make this a higher-tier piece for serious Peterson collectors rather than an entry-level acquisition. Confirm signature, numbering and condition of the gold ink before purchase, as metallic layers can show handling marks.
Historical Context
Produced in 2018, this work sits within the mature phase of Peterson's career, after his profile rose through gallery shows and high-profile collaborations with Shepard Fairey. By this point he had consolidated his recurring motifs, mob violence, abuse of power and the mythic frieze, into a recognizable language drawn from Greek antiquity, Hogarth's moralizing crowds and street art. The black-and-gold treatment connects it to his "End of Empire" vase series and related works that explicitly cast modern social conflict in the mold of collapsing classical civilizations.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A crowded frieze of nude figures attacking one another with clubs, swords and blades against a black ground. White and black bodies fight, drag and fall among scattered skulls, with metallic gold accents pooling beneath them, an allegory of human violence and the abuse of power.
What is the edition size?
The edition is just 28, a small and relatively scarce run for a Cleon Peterson print.
Is it signed and numbered?
Editioned prints of this kind are typically hand-signed and numbered by the artist. Buyers should confirm the signature and number on the specific impression.
What medium and format is it?
It is a screen print, executed in Peterson's 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. He draws on classical 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.