Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Power Can Do Anything / Justice Nothing (First Edition)”
Summary
A stark screen print in Cleon Peterson's signature flat black/white/red palette: a uniformed, peaked-cap authority figure looms over and physically dominates a sprawling red figure who is being beaten or pinned down, a scale (the symbol of justice) toppled and broken at the bottom of the composition. Framed by the bold banner text "POWER CAN DO ANYTHING / JUSTICE NOTHING," it is a direct, polemical statement on state brutality and the collapse of justice, distilling Peterson's recurring obsession with the abuse of power.
Why It Matters
This print is one of Peterson's most explicit and text-forward indictments of institutional power. Where much of his work renders violence as anonymous, interlocking bodies, here a clearly authoritarian figure (the military/police cap, the rigid black uniform) brutalizes a defenseless victim while the scales of justice lie shattered beneath them. The blunt slogan turns the image into a piece of agit-prop, aligning Peterson with the protest-poster lineage he shares with frequent collaborator Shepard Fairey. Made in 2020, against a backdrop of widespread protest over policing and state authority, it captures the political urgency that runs through his strongest editions.
Collector Perspective
A 2020 screen print in an edition of just 24, this is a genuinely small run for Peterson, placing it well above his larger 100–150 piece editions in scarcity. As a "First Edition" it is the primary, most desirable variant of the image, typically hand-signed and numbered by the artist in pencil. The overt political text and clean three-color composition make it one of his more recognizable and quotable works, which supports collector demand. With so few examples in circulation, secondary-market availability is thin and appearances are infrequent; condition and the low edition number drive value among Peterson collectors.
Historical Context
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) builds a brutal visual language from classical Greek vase painting, Hogarth's moral satires, and street art, reducing scenes of conflict to flat fields of black, white and red. This 2020 screen print belongs to the strain of his practice that turns directly polemical, pairing his fighting figures with declarative text. Released during a year of intense global protest around policing and state power, "Power Can Do Anything / Justice Nothing" reads as both timeless allegory and pointed contemporary commentary, in line with the protest-art sensibility he shares with collaborator Shepard Fairey.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A uniformed authority figure in a peaked military/police cap looms over and beats a sprawling red figure, while the scales of justice lie toppled and broken at the bottom — a literal image of power crushing justice, reinforced by the banner text 'Power Can Do Anything / Justice Nothing.'
What is the edition size?
The edition is just 24, a small run that makes this one of Peterson's scarcer prints.
Is it signed and numbered?
Works in this format are typically hand-signed and numbered by Cleon Peterson in pencil; as a 'First Edition' it is the primary release of the image.
What is the medium?
It is a hand-pulled screen print (silkscreen) in Peterson's signature flat black, white and red palette, dated 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 that draw on 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.