Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Peace -- War (Yellow)”
Summary
A flat black hand throws up a two-finger peace sign against a bright yellow ground, but a bullet streaks horizontally across the top, on a trajectory that turns the gesture of peace into a target. Rendered in Cleon Peterson's signature stripped-down, high-contrast graphic vocabulary, "Peace -- War (Yellow)" collapses the icon of peace and the instrument of war into a single ironic image.
Why It Matters
The print distills Peterson's central preoccupation -- the brutality beneath civilized symbols -- into one of his most economical and legible images. Where his crowded battle scenes overwhelm with bodies, here a lone hand and a single bullet carry the whole argument: the peace sign and gunfire occupy the same plane, and the viewer is left to read the bullet as either incoming threat or the violence that peace provokes. The bold sign-painter clarity and the conflation of a universally recognized gesture with an act of war make it a sharp, immediately readable statement piece that rewards Peterson's roots in street art and protest graphics.
Collector Perspective
Released in 2021 as a screen print in a tiny edition of just 16, this is among the scarcest tier of Peterson editions and would typically be hand-signed and numbered by the artist. The very small run, the rare yellow colorway (part of a multi-color "Peace -- War" set), and the instantly recognizable single-image composition make it a desirable, display-friendly piece. With only 16 in existence, supply rarely surfaces on the secondary market, so condition and provenance carry real weight when one does appear.
Historical Context
Peace -- War (Yellow)" dates to 2021, a period in which Peterson continued mining the iconography of conflict and power that he had built since the early 2010s, often working in monochrome grounds offset by black figures. The peace-sign-and-bullet motif extends his long-running interrogation of how societies dress up violence in noble symbols, and its release as a multi-colorway screen-print set follows his established practice of issuing the same image across several small color editions.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A flat black hand making a two-finger peace sign on a yellow ground, with a bullet streaking across the top of the image -- pairing the symbol of peace directly with the instrument of war.
What is the edition size?
The edition is just 16, making it one of the scarcer Cleon Peterson screen-print editions.
Is it signed and numbered?
Editions of this kind are typically hand-signed and numbered by the artist; buyers should confirm the signature and number on the specific impression.
What is the medium?
It is a screen print, produced in 2021 as part of the 'Peace -- War' series issued in multiple color variations, this being the yellow colorway.
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, drawing on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art; he is also 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.