Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Step Into The Night (Red & Black)”
Summary
A horizontal red-and-black frieze of silhouetted black figures locked in a chaotic, all-over brawl — bodies running, lunging, grappling, dragging and clubbing one another against a flat blood-red ground. It is classic Cleon Peterson: a panoramic scene of mob violence and predation that strips civilization down to raw aggression, rendered in his stark two-color, vase-painting-derived idiom.
Why It Matters
Step Into The Night" distills the core of Peterson's project into a single relentless band of conflict. The frieze-like, edge-to-edge composition deliberately echoes ancient Greek black-figure vase painting, but the subject is contemporary: anonymous attackers and victims tangled in a cycle of brutality with no hero, no order and no escape. The reduction to flat black silhouettes on red removes individuality and morality, turning the violence into something ritual and inevitable — the abuse of power and the savagery beneath social order that runs through his entire body of work. The wide cinematic format and absence of a focal point force the eye to keep moving through the carnage, making the chaos feel boundless.
Collector Perspective
This is a screen print from 2019 in a very small edition of 20, which puts it among the scarcer Peterson editions on the market — most of his standard releases run 100 to 150. Buyers should expect it to be hand-signed and numbered by the artist, consistent with his studio practice (always confirm signature and numbering against the specific example). The tiny run, the strong horizontal "statement piece" format and the instantly recognizable red/black palette make it desirable to dedicated Peterson collectors, though the very low edition size means examples surface infrequently, so comparable sales are thin. A red-and-black variant like this typically sits alongside a companion colorway, which collectors sometimes pursue as a pair.
Historical Context
Made in 2019, this print comes from the mature phase of Cleon Peterson's career, after his profile rose through major murals, his "End of Empire" and politically charged bodies of work, and his ongoing collaborations with Shepard Fairey. By this point his visual language — flat black figures, blood-red and bone-white grounds, friezes of fighting and clubbing bodies drawn from Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art — was fully established. "Step Into The Night" belongs to this period's continued interrogation of power, mob violence and the darkness beneath civilized life.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A horizontal, frieze-like scene of black silhouetted figures fighting, chasing, grappling and clubbing one another across a flat red background — a panoramic image of anonymous mob violence with no single hero or focal point.
What is the edition size?
The edition is limited to just 20, making it one of Cleon Peterson's scarcer screen-print releases.
Is it signed and numbered?
Peterson's limited editions are typically hand-signed and numbered by the artist. Always confirm the signature and edition number on the specific example you are buying.
What is the medium and when was it made?
It is a screen print (silkscreen) produced in 2019, using Peterson's signature flat two-color red-and-black 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 in flat black, white, red and gold. He draws on 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.