Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Pissers (Black)”
Summary
Pissers (Black) depicts two red-clad authority figures in military-style coats and caps standing over a sprawled, prone white figure on the ground, the standing men urinating onto the fallen body in twin streams. It is a characteristic Cleon Peterson tableau of degradation and the abuse of power, rendered in his signature flat black, red and white palette.
Why It Matters
This print distills Peterson's central subject, the brutality beneath civilized order, into a single unambiguous act of humiliation. The two upright figures in matching uniforms read as soldiers, police, or any institutional power, and their casual desecration of a defenseless body turns a simple silhouette composition into a pointed statement about cruelty, dehumanization and impunity. Like Peterson's wider body of work, it borrows the flat, frieze-like staging of Greek vase painting and the moralizing edge of Hogarth, using stark high-contrast color to make the violence impossible to look away from.
Collector Perspective
A screen print from 2018 in a tight edition of 26, hand-signed and numbered in pencil (the edition fraction is visible at lower left and the artist's signature at lower right). This is the black colorway of the Pissers image. At only 26 impressions it sits among Peterson's smaller, more confrontational editions rather than his larger open releases. The deliberately provocative subject narrows the buyer pool somewhat, but the very low edition size and Peterson's established collector base support steady demand. A strong fit for collectors building depth in his power-and-authority works rather than a casual entry-level piece.
Historical Context
Made in 2018, during a prolific period in which Peterson sharpened his focus on authority, state violence and the cruelty of those in power, themes that resonated strongly with the political climate of the era. The work continues the visual language he developed across the 2010s: reductive figures, a restricted black/white/red palette, and tableaux of conflict and domination staged like classical friezes. Pissers (Black) belongs to this run of small-edition screen prints that pair graphic immediacy with uncomfortable social commentary.
FAQ
What does Pissers (Black) depict?
Two red uniformed authority figures standing over a fallen white figure on the ground, urinating on the prone body — an image of degradation and the abuse of power rendered in flat black, red and white.
What is the edition size?
The edition is limited to 26 impressions, making it one of Peterson's scarcer prints.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. It is hand-signed by the artist and numbered in pencil; the edition number appears at the lower left and the signature at the lower right.
What is the medium?
It is a screen print (silkscreen) on paper, 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 in a flat black, white and red palette. 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.