Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Let's Start A War (Black)”
Summary
A black circular tondo in which eight identical figures — alternating red and white — are arranged radially like spokes of a wheel, each swinging a club or baton in mid-strike so their bodies converge into a star-shaped explosion at the black center. The print distills Cleon Peterson's central subject — the mechanical, repeating violence of mobs and enforcers — into a single rotational symbol of conflict feeding on itself.
Why It Matters
The circular "wheel" format is one of Peterson's most recognizable and graphically aggressive devices: by repeating a single attacking figure around a black void he turns brutality into an ornament, echoing the rim decoration of ancient Greek vases while delivering it with the punch of a propaganda poster. The flat black/white/red palette and faceless, club-wielding bodies make abuse of power feel anonymous and cyclical — anyone can be the striker, anyone the struck. It is a clean, poster-strong statement of the themes that define his work and reads instantly from across a room.
Collector Perspective
A screen print from 2018 in a tight edition of 28, which puts it well below the typical 100–200 run for an artist of Peterson's profile and squarely in the scarce, hard-to-source bracket. Editions this size rarely appear on the secondary market and tend to sell quickly when they do. Expect a hand-signed and numbered impression in pencil (signature visible lower right). The bold tondo composition and the loaded title make it a desirable single-image piece for a Peterson collector; condition (clean margins, no handling creases on the heavy ink fields) is the main value driver at this edition size.
Historical Context
Made in 2018, this print sits in the mature period of Peterson's printmaking, after the End of Empire body of work that brought his Greek-vase-derived violence to a wide audience. By this point he had refined the reduced black/white/red language and the symmetrical, emblematic compositions seen here. The radial ring of attackers belongs to his ongoing investigation of power, mob behavior and the cyclical violence beneath civilized order — concerns he has pursued in paintings, prints, sculpture and collaborations throughout the 2010s.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
Eight figures, alternating red and white, arranged in a circle like the spokes of a wheel inside a black disc. Each swings a club or baton, and their bodies meet at the center to form a star-shaped burst — a single rotating image of repeating, anonymous violence.
What is the edition size?
28. This is a small edition, which makes the print scarce relative to most contemporary screen prints.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. Impressions are hand-signed and numbered by Cleon Peterson in pencil; the signature is visible at the lower right of the sheet.
What is the medium and year?
It is a screen print (silkscreen) produced in 2018.
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 rendered in flat black, white and red. He draws on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, and 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.