Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Forest 2”
Summary
A stark two-figure screen print in which a grinning man grips and restrains a screaming pink-haired woman against a churning field of black and hot-pink smoke, a dropped phone and scattered shoes at their feet signaling a violent struggle. It is a characteristic early Cleon Peterson tableau of predatory power and coerced violence, rendered in his flat, high-contrast, vase-painting-derived graphic language.
Why It Matters
Forest 2" distills the core preoccupation of Peterson's work — the abuse of power and the brutality lurking beneath a civilized surface — into a single, unmistakably charged encounter between aggressor and victim. The leering grin set against the open-mouthed scream, the manhandling grip, and the telltale debris on the ground turn a simple two-figure composition into a study of dominance and assault. As a 2010 print, it comes from the period when Peterson was crystallizing the flat black/white/red(here pink) palette and Greek-vase figuration that would define his rise, making it an early, raw example of the visual vocabulary he became known for.
Collector Perspective
A 2010 hand-pulled screen print from Peterson's early period, before his profile widened through Shepard Fairey collaborations and major mural and museum projects. The edition size is not documented here; early Peterson prints were typically issued in modest runs and most are hand-signed and numbered in the lower margin, though this should be confirmed against the specific example. Early-period works carry appeal for collectors seeking his pre-fame output, but pricing and liquidity sit below his later, larger, higher-profile editions. Condition, margins, and a clear signature/numbering are the value drivers; verify these against the physical piece.
Historical Context
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) builds stark scenes of violence, power and social conflict from a flat black/white/red/gold palette drawn from classical Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art. By 2010 he was developing the graphic figuration and themes of predation and abuse of power that would define his subsequent body of work and his frequent collaborations with Shepard Fairey. "Forest 2" belongs to this formative early-period output, where the menace is delivered through one tightly framed confrontation rather than the sprawling mobs of his later compositions.
FAQ
What does Forest 2 depict?
A grinning man grips and restrains a screaming pink-haired woman against a swirling black-and-pink background, with a dropped phone and scattered shoes on the ground signaling a violent or predatory struggle.
What is the medium?
It is a hand-pulled screen print produced in 2010.
Is it signed and numbered?
Early Cleon Peterson prints are typically hand-signed and numbered in the lower margin; confirm signature and numbering against the specific example, as this should be verified on the physical piece.
What is the edition size?
The edition size for Forest 2 is not documented here. Peterson's early prints were generally issued in modest runs; the exact figure should be confirmed from the print itself or its certificate.
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/red/gold palette influenced by Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art. He 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.