Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Monument To Power, Corruption (First Edition)”
Summary
A stark screen print depicting a white statue of a suited male figure standing atop a stone pedestal, one arm thrust upward in a triumphant, authoritarian salute, silhouetted against a flat black-and-red field of flame-like or camouflage forms. The image distills Cleon Peterson's recurring obsession with monuments, leadership and the corruption of power into a single, iconic civic statue.
Why It Matters
Monument To Power, Corruption" is one of Peterson's most direct statements on the cult of leadership. By rendering a generic strongman atop a pedestal in the universal pose of victory and command, he targets the way societies erect monuments that sanctify authority while masking the abuse beneath it. The reduced black/white/red palette and flat, poster-like graphic language tie it to his broader project of exposing the brutality of civilization, and the burning red ground turns the heroic monument into something ominous rather than celebratory.
Collector Perspective
A small, tightly editioned screen print with an edition size of just 24, hand-signed and numbered by the artist. As the marked "First Edition," it is the original colorway of the image and carries the desirability of a low-run Cleon Peterson print on the standout power/monument theme. The tiny edition makes it considerably scarcer than his more common 100-plus print runs; when examples surface they tend to draw strong collector interest, though at this edition size secondary-market appearances are infrequent.
Historical Context
Produced in 2019, during the period when Peterson had cemented his international reputation through gallery shows and high-profile Shepard Fairey collaborations. The work belongs to his ongoing examination of power, authority and the monuments societies build to leaders, themes that run through his rulers, mobs and conflict imagery. The flat heraldic palette and statue motif draw on classical and propaganda traditions while turning them to critical ends.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A white statue of a suited man standing on a stone pedestal with one arm raised in a triumphant, authoritarian salute, set against a flat black-and-red flame-like background. It reads as a civic monument to a strongman leader.
How large is the edition?
The edition size is 24, making this a very small, scarce run.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. Like Peterson's other limited prints, it is hand-signed and numbered by the artist, with the signature and numbering at the lower edge.
What is the medium and which version is this?
It is a screen print, and this is the marked First Edition of the image, the original colorway in white, black and red.
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 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.