Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Wake From Your Sleep”
Summary
Wake From Your Sleep depicts three black-clad, peaked-cap officers seizing, pinning and clubbing a kneeling, defenseless white nude figure, one baton raised to strike against a flat blood-red ground. It is a characteristically blunt Cleon Peterson tableau of state violence and the abuse of authority, rendered in his signature black/white/red palette.
Why It Matters
This is Peterson working at the core of his subject matter: the brutality of organized power directed against the individual. The uniformed aggressors, the helpless splayed body, and the raised club distill themes he has pursued for over a decade into a single, legible image whose title functions as a direct political alarm. The flat, frieze-like composition borrows the formal logic of Greek vase painting and Hogarth's moral narratives while reading instantly as protest art, making it one of the more pointed and confrontational statements in his recent print output.
Collector Perspective
A 2023 screen print in a small edition of just 24, this is among the scarcer Peterson editions to reach the market and would be hand-signed and numbered in the lower margin as is standard for his releases. The tiny run, square format, and unambiguous political subject make it desirable to collectors who follow his work and to buyers of contemporary protest imagery. Expect limited availability and competition when examples surface; condition and clean margins matter at this edition size.
Historical Context
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) built his reputation on stark scenes of violence, mobs and power, drawing on classical Greek pottery, Hogarth and street art, and is a frequent Shepard Fairey collaborator. Wake From Your Sleep dates to 2023, part of a body of work in which Peterson sharpened his focus on policing, authority and civic complacency, the title urging viewers out of passive acceptance of institutional brutality.
FAQ
What does Wake From Your Sleep depict?
Three uniformed, peaked-cap figures grab, restrain and club a kneeling, defenseless nude figure, with a baton raised to strike against a flat red background — a scene of state violence and the abuse of authority.
How large is the edition?
The edition is 24, a small run that makes this one of the scarcer Peterson screen prints.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. As with Peterson's standard practice, the print is hand-signed and numbered in the lower margin.
What is the medium and year?
It is a screen print produced in 2023.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is a contemporary artist known for high-contrast black/white/red scenes of violence, power and social conflict, influenced by 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.