Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Abracadabra (Black)”
Summary
A stark black-and-white screen print depicting a crouching magician-conjurer rendered in Cleon Peterson's flat, high-contrast graphic language: a disembodied hand pulling a rabbit by the ears at top, a wide grinning mask-like face below, and a cross-legged figure conjuring above a smoking top hat, all set against a black, star-flecked night sky. "Abracadabra (Black)" channels Peterson's interest in deception, illusion and the theatrics of power, trading his usual overt brawling for the sinister showmanship of the trickster.
Why It Matters
The print distills Peterson's signature aesthetic — flat silhouettes, a reduced palette, and a totem-like vertical stack of forms reminiscent of Greek vase painting — into a single allegorical figure. Where much of his work hammers on physical violence, "Abracadabra" works through metaphor: the magician as a stand-in for the con, the sleight of hand, the way authority and spectacle manipulate a willing audience. The grinning mask and the rabbit-from-the-hat motif give it a darkly carnival, almost menacing edge that rewards Peterson collectors looking beyond the fighting-figures canon.
Collector Perspective
A tight edition of just 22, hand-signed and numbered, this is among the scarcer Peterson screen prints by edition size — most of his releases run larger. The monochrome "Black" designation indicates a companion colorway likely exists, which collectors of variant sets will want to note. As a smaller, allegorical single-figure composition it sits below his large multi-figure battle prints and major collaborations in terms of broad market demand, but the very low edition number gives it real scarcity appeal for completists. Realistic positioning: a desirable secondary piece rather than a flagship, with value driven more by rarity than by image recognition.
Historical Context
Made in 2022, this print comes from the mature phase of Peterson's career, well after his "End of Empire" breakthrough established him as one of the defining voices of contemporary social-political printmaking. By this period he was working fluidly between overt scenes of conflict and more emblematic, single-icon images like this magician, drawing on his long-standing sources: classical Greek pottery, Hogarth's moralizing prints, and the flat graphic punch of street art and skate culture.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A crouching magician or conjurer figure against a starry night sky — a hand pulling a rabbit from a hat at top, a wide grinning mask-like face, and a cross-legged figure conjuring above a smoking top hat — all in Cleon Peterson's flat black-and-white graphic style.
What is the edition size?
The edition is limited to 22.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. Like Peterson's print releases, it is hand-signed and numbered by the artist.
What medium is it?
It is a screen print, the medium Peterson uses for most of his limited-edition graphics.
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/gold palette. 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.