Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Freedom / Prosperity At Any Price (Red)”
Summary
A towering, skull-faced figure robed in the American flag — a star-spangled torso giving way to red-and-white stripes — cradles a limp black body across its arms in a deliberate Pietà pose, beneath the word "FREEDOM" and the line "PROSPERITY AT ANY PRICE." Rendered in Peterson's signature flat red, black and white, the print indicts American nationalism as a death cult, where the promise of freedom and prosperity is paid for in human bodies.
Why It Matters
This is one of Cleon Peterson's most direct political statements, made in the charged climate of 2020. By fusing the iconography of the U.S. flag with a grinning death's-head and the Christian Pietà — the grieving mother holding the dead Christ — Peterson collapses patriotism, religion and mortality into a single brutal image: the state as a robed reaper collecting the cost of its own ideals. The biting subtitle "Prosperity At Any Price" reframes the American dream as a transaction settled in blood. It distills the artist's career-long subject — the abuse of power and the violence beneath civilized order — into a stark, instantly legible composition that reads as both protest poster and altarpiece.
Collector Perspective
Released in 2020 as a screen print in a tight edition of just 24, the red colorway is among the scarcest formats Peterson issues — most of his print runs reach into the low hundreds, making 24 exceptionally small. Peterson's editioned prints are typically signed and numbered by the artist; buyers should confirm the pencil signature and numbering on the specific impression. As a small-run political work from the height of his market visibility, this sits at the collectible end of his print output, appealing to collectors who want a flagship statement piece rather than a more widely available image. Condition and provenance carry extra weight given how few exist.
Historical Context
The work dates to 2020, a year defined in the United States by pandemic, mass protest and a contentious election — a context that sharpens Peterson's flag-draped reaper. It belongs to his ongoing body of work skewering nationalism, authority and the machinery of power, and extends his recurring use of classical and religious sources (here the Renaissance Pietà) repurposed into contemporary social critique. Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle), a frequent Shepard Fairey collaborator, draws on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art to expose the brutality beneath civilization, and this print is among his most pointedly American statements.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A skull-faced figure robed in the American flag — stars across the chest, red-and-white stripes below — holding a limp black body in a Pietà pose, under the words 'FREEDOM' and 'PROSPERITY AT ANY PRICE.' It frames American nationalism as a death cult that extracts a human cost.
What is the edition size?
This red colorway is an edition of 24 — a very small run by Cleon Peterson standards.
Is it signed and numbered?
Peterson's editioned screen prints are typically signed and numbered by the artist in pencil. Buyers should confirm the signature and numbering on the specific impression.
What is the medium?
Screen print, produced in 2020, in Peterson's signature flat red, black and white 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. He draws on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, and frequently collaborates 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.