Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “The Choice Is Ours”
Summary
Cleon Peterson's "The Choice Is Ours" depicts the Statue of Liberty standing dark and silhouetted on its island pedestal, torch raised, against a roiling sky of blood-red and black flame-like forms, with the Manhattan and St. Louis-style skyline reduced to a low band of shadow and a churning red-black harbor below. Working in his signature stark black/red palette, Peterson turns a national emblem of liberty into an ominous warning image, the bold title banner "THE CHOICE IS OURS" framing the scene as a political reckoning.
Why It Matters
Released in 2020 amid an intensely polarized U.S. election year, this print is one of Peterson's most overtly political and graphically direct images, trading his usual brawling crowds for a single charged national symbol. By rendering the Statue of Liberty in silhouette against a sky that reads as fire, smoke, or storm, he charges a familiar icon with anxiety and urgency, and the declarative title makes the work function as both protest poster and reckoning. It is a strong example of how Peterson distills his broader themes of power, civilization and moral choice into a single instantly legible image.
Collector Perspective
A 2020 screen print in a small edition of 28, hand-signed and numbered by the artist. The tiny edition size puts it well below Peterson's typical run lengths and makes it considerably harder to find than his open or larger limited editions; copies surface only occasionally. Its overtly American, election-era subject and clean graphic-poster impact give it broad appeal, though as a politically specific image its long-term demand will track collector interest in Peterson's protest-themed work rather than his signature violence scenes. A scarce, display-friendly piece for collectors focused on his political output.
Historical Context
The Choice Is Ours" dates to 2020, a year defined in the United States by a contentious presidential election, mass protest and pandemic upheaval. Peterson, known for high-contrast scenes of violence and the abuse of power drawn from Greek vase painting and street art, here channels that sensibility into a single emblem of the nation. The work sits within a strand of his practice in which classical and civic symbols are pressed into service as political commentary, and reflects the explicitly engaged, poster-like register many artists adopted during that election cycle.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
The Statue of Liberty in dark silhouette on its pedestal, torch raised, set against a turbulent red-and-black sky with a low city skyline and churning harbor below, beneath a banner reading THE CHOICE IS OURS.
What is the edition size?
The edition is limited to 28.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. Like Peterson's limited-edition prints, it is hand-signed and numbered by the artist.
What medium and year is it?
It is a screen print from 2020.
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 and gold palette, drawing on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art. He 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.