Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Sirens Of The Past (Night)”
Summary
A nocturnal screen print depicting three nude female figures rendered as flat black silhouettes against a glowing amber-to-black gradient, each clutching a luminous white rope or cord that loops between them. Part of Cleon Peterson's mythological "Sirens" body of work, it trades his usual mob violence for a quieter, more seductive register of danger drawn from classical Greek vase painting.
Why It Matters
The print shows Peterson operating in a more restrained, allegorical mode than his signature scenes of clubbing and bloodshed, yet the menace is intact: the white cord reads as both lure and noose, and the figures' blank, eyeless faces give them the cold impersonality of forces rather than people. It is a clear demonstration of his debt to Greek black-figure vase painting — the silhouetted bodies, the limited palette, the frieze-like arrangement of figures across a shallow stage — applied to a contemporary parable about temptation and the seduction of power. The "Night" designation and the warm halo of light pushing the bodies into pure shadow make it one of the more atmospheric, less overtly brutal works in his print catalog.
Collector Perspective
A 2023 screen print in a tight edition of just 22, which puts it among the scarcer Peterson editions on the market — most of his prints run from roughly 100 into the several hundreds. Expect it to be hand-signed and numbered in pencil in the lower margin (a signature and edition fraction are visible at the bottom edge here). As a low-run, single-color-family piece in his mythological "Sirens" vein rather than a flagship End of Empire or red-palette image, it appeals most to collectors building depth in Peterson's classical/nocturnal work; the small edition supports value, while the muted palette makes it a quieter hold than his high-contrast red-and-black crowd scenes.
Historical Context
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) built his reputation on stark black-white-red tableaux of violence and abused power, drawing on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art. His Sirens and End of Empire works recast that vocabulary through Greek myth and antiquity. This 2023 screen print belongs to that mythological strand, using the silhouetted, frieze-like figuration of ancient ceramics — here in a night-toned gold-and-black variant — to stage a fable of seduction and danger.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
Three nude female figures shown as flat black silhouettes against a glowing amber-to-black background, each holding a luminous white rope or cord that loops between them — the Sirens, mythological temptresses whose lure leads to ruin.
How large is the edition?
The edition size is 22, making it one of the scarcer Cleon Peterson prints.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes — works in this edition are hand-signed and numbered in pencil in the lower margin; a signature and edition fraction are visible along the bottom edge of this impression.
What is the medium and series?
It is a screen print from 2023, part of Peterson's mythological 'Sirens' body of work, here in the darker 'Night' colorway.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
A Seattle-born (b. 1973) artist known for stark, high-contrast scenes of violence and abused power in a flat black/white/red/gold palette, drawing on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, and 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.