Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Out For Blood”
Summary
Out For Blood" depicts two towering, uniformed police-style figures in peaked caps wielding white batons over a writhing tangle of red and black bodies beneath them, with a snarling black dog tearing into the fallen. It is a signature Cleon Peterson tableau of state authority physically crushing a defenseless crowd, rendered in his flat black, white, and red palette.
Why It Matters
The print distills Peterson's central subject: the abuse of power and the brutality that lies just beneath the surface of organized society. By dressing the aggressors as police/military figures standing over a faceless mass of victims and an attack dog, Peterson turns his personal visual language of violence into a pointed commentary on authoritarianism and state force. Produced in 2018, it lands squarely within the politically charged period that broadened his audience, and the stark, almost heraldic composition shows his debt to Greek vase painting and Hogarth filtered through street-art directness.
Collector Perspective
A 2018 screen print in a small edition of 42, hand-signed and numbered by the artist. As one of the more overtly political police-brutality images in Peterson's catalog, it sits among his more sought-after editions; the explicit subject matter and very low edition size make it scarcer than his larger open or 100-plus runs. Condition and clean margins matter for these high-contrast prints, where any handling or ink scuffing shows immediately. Realistic positioning: a strong mid-tier Peterson work for collectors focused on his power-and-authority themes rather than an entry-level or open-edition piece.
Historical Context
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) built his reputation through the 2010s on stark scenes of conflict, mobs, and the exercise of power, drawing on classical Greek vase painting, Hogarth, and street-art aesthetics, and collaborating frequently with Shepard Fairey. "Out For Blood" (2018) belongs to a run of his most politically explicit works depicting uniformed authority figures attacking crowds, made during a period of heightened public attention to policing, protest, and state violence.
FAQ
What does Out For Blood depict?
Two large police/military-style figures in peaked caps swing white batons over a mass of red and black bodies, while a black dog attacks a fallen figure — a scene of state authority violently overpowering a defenseless crowd.
What is the edition size?
The edition is limited to 42 prints.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. Like Peterson's editioned screen prints, it is hand-signed and numbered by the artist.
What medium and year is it?
It is a screen print produced in 2018.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for high-contrast black, white, and red scenes of violence, power, and social conflict; he draws on Greek vase painting, Hogarth, and street art and is a frequent Shepard Fairey collaborator.
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.