Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Speak To Me (Light)”
Summary
A stark two-figure tableau in which a hulking black silhouette crouches over a kneeling white figure and forces a club-like staff toward its mouth, the pale body recoiling with arms thrown up in a contorted gesture of defense and submission. Set against Peterson's signature flat gold ground with a black horizon, it distills his career-long subject — the brutal mechanics of domination and coerced silence — into a single act of overpowering force.
Why It Matters
Speak To Me (Light)" is a concentrated statement of Cleon Peterson's central theme: the abuse of power and the violence beneath the surface of civilized order. The composition reduces a complex social dynamic to two bodies — aggressor and victim, black and white — locked in a posture of forced control, the raised staff reading at once as weapon, gag and instrument of authority. By staging the scene with the frozen, decorative clarity he borrows from Greek vase painting and the moral narratives of Hogarth, Peterson makes brutality feel ancient and ongoing rather than incidental. The "Light" gold-ground variant turns the menace into something almost iconic, the gilding lending a ceremonial, altarpiece weight to an image of subjugation.
Collector Perspective
A 2023 screen print in an edition of only 22, hand-signed and numbered in pencil by the artist (the example shown is numbered low in the run). The tiny edition size puts it well below Peterson's more common 100–150 print runs, placing it among his scarcer releases and squarely in the territory collectors chase for the gold-ground "Light" treatment. Released as the lighter half of a paired light/dark variant, it appeals to buyers who want the brighter, more iconic palette. Demand for Peterson's small-edition gold prints is consistent within his collector base; expect competition on the secondary market given how few exist, though as a focused single-image work rather than a flagship "End of Empire" piece it sits in the mid-to-upper band of his print market rather than at the very top.
Historical Context
Made in 2023, this print belongs to the mature phase of Peterson's practice, after the recognition built through his "End of Empire" body of work and his long-running collaborations with Shepard Fairey. The black-white-gold palette, the flat planar figures and the classical, frieze-like staging are all carried over from the vocabulary Peterson refined across the 2010s, in which Greek vase iconography and street-art directness are fused to indict contemporary cycles of power and violence. Issued as a light/dark variant pair, it follows his established practice of pressing the same composition in alternate palettes for separate small editions.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A large black silhouetted figure crouches over a kneeling white figure and forces a club-like staff toward its mouth while the pale figure recoils, arms raised. It is an image of domination, coercion and forced silence, set against a flat gold ground with a black horizon line.
How large is the edition?
The edition is just 22, making it one of Cleon Peterson's scarcer print releases.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. It is hand-signed and numbered in pencil by the artist, typically at the lower edge of the sheet.
What is the medium?
It is a screen print on paper, produced in 2023 as the gold-ground 'Light' variant of a paired light/dark composition.
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 and gold palette. He draws on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, and is a frequent collaborator 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.