Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Orientations Of The Night I”
Summary
A stark gold-ground screen print in which a hulking black figure with bared teeth looms over and grasps at a seated white nude, who twists and reaches back in struggle. It is signature Cleon Peterson: an intimate, predatory confrontation that distills his broader vision of power preying on the vulnerable into a single charged encounter.
Why It Matters
Peterson built his reputation on flat, high-contrast tableaux of bodies in conflict, and this print strips that vocabulary down to a one-on-one power dynamic — aggressor and victim locked together against a metallic gold field. The reduced cast and the night-toned black-on-gold palette intensify the menace, making the abuse of power feel personal rather than mob-scale. Rendered in his vase-painting-derived flat silhouettes, it sits comfortably alongside the artist's recurring meditations on domination, fear and the brutality beneath civilized life.
Collector Perspective
A 2025 screen print in a very small edition of just 16, printed on a gold ground with a deckled edge and hand-signed and numbered in pencil by the artist. The tiny edition size puts it well below Peterson's typical run lengths, which should support desirability for collectors who already follow his work; the small two-figure composition and gold palette make it an accessible single-sheet entry point rather than one of his large multi-figure statement prints. As a recent release, secondary-market history is thin, so primary pricing and condition are the main reference points.
Historical Context
Part of Cleon Peterson's 2025 output, this print continues the visual language the Seattle-born (b. 1973) artist has developed over the past decade: flat black, white and metallic forms locked in scenes of violence and control, drawing on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street-art directness. The gold-ground treatment and pared-down two-figure staging connect it to his ongoing exploration of power and the night.
FAQ
What does Orientations Of The Night I depict?
A large shadowy black figure with bared teeth looming over and grabbing at a seated white nude who twists and reaches back, staged against a flat gold ground — a one-on-one scene of aggression and struggle characteristic of Cleon Peterson's work on power and violence.
How large is the edition?
The edition is just 16, a notably small run for the artist.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. Prints in this edition are hand-signed and numbered in pencil by Cleon Peterson, typically along the lower deckled edge.
What is the medium?
It is a screen print, produced in 2025 on a gold ground with a deckled edge.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for stark, high-contrast black, white, red and gold scenes of violence, power and social conflict. He draws on classical Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, and is a frequent collaborator of 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.