Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Money & Power (Yellow)”
Summary
Money & Power (Yellow) shows three identical black-silhouette soldiers marching in lockstep, each gripping a pistol, beneath a tall banner crowned with a gold dollar-sign medallion. It is a pure-silhouette distillation of Cleon Peterson's central subject — organized force marshalled in the service of capital — rendered in his flat, high-contrast graphic language.
Why It Matters
The image collapses Peterson's recurring themes of authority, militarized violence and the mob into a single emblematic icon: a regiment marching under the flag of money. By reducing the figures to interchangeable black shapes against an alarm-bright yellow field, Peterson strips out individuality and leaves only the machinery of power — armed, uniform and advancing. The dollar-sign banner functions like a coat of arms, making explicit the link between economic interest and state violence that runs throughout his End of Empire-era work. It is one of his most legible, poster-like statements, owing as much to protest graphics and street art as to the classical friezes and Hogarthian moral scenes he draws on.
Collector Perspective
A 2022 screen print in a tight edition of just 18, hand-signed and numbered by the artist. The small edition size places it well below Peterson's larger open-themed releases and into genuinely scarce territory; the yellow colorway is one of a small set of variant editions of this image, which collectors often pursue as a group. The bold, immediately readable composition and on-the-nose money/militarism subject give it strong wall presence and broad appeal. Market position: an accessible-format work from an established, actively collected artist, with the low edition supporting it as a desirable variant rather than a common release.
Historical Context
Produced in 2022, this print sits within the mature phase of Cleon Peterson's career, after the international visibility of his End of Empire project and his ongoing collaborations with Shepard Fairey. By this point Peterson had honed a tightly reduced visual vocabulary — flat silhouettes, restricted palettes and frieze-like compositions echoing Greek vase painting — to deliver pointed commentary on power, money and conflict. The militarized marching figure and the dollar-sign standard are motifs he returned to across this era as the abuses of authority and the alliance of capital and force became recurring targets in his graphic work.
FAQ
What does Money & Power (Yellow) depict?
Three identical black-silhouette soldiers marching in step, each carrying a pistol, beneath a tall banner topped by a gold circular medallion bearing a dollar sign — an image of armed, uniform force advancing under the flag of money, set against a bright yellow ground.
How large is the edition?
The edition is just 18, making it a scarce release. It is one of a small group of color variants of this composition.
Is the print signed and numbered?
Yes. It is hand-signed and numbered by Cleon Peterson; a pencil signature is visible at the lower right of the sheet.
What is the medium?
It is a hand-pulled screen print on paper, dated 2022. The yellow colorway is the defining feature of this variant.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for stark, high-contrast black/white/red/gold scenes of violence, power and social conflict. 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.