Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Fire In The Night”
Summary
A lone silhouetted figure stands at the edge of a black sea, facing away into the dark, beneath a vast turbulent sky of billowing smoke-like clouds rendered in muted gray-green against deep black. Stripped of Cleon Peterson's usual mobs and crimson bloodshed, "Fire In The Night" is a rare quiet, atmospheric work — solitude, dread and aftermath rather than the act of violence itself.
Why It Matters
The print is significant precisely because it departs from the formula collectors know Peterson for. Where his signature work hammers the viewer with writhing crowds, clubs and floods of red, this composition is nearly silent: a single small figure dwarfed by an immense, smoke-choked night. The lone figure appears to hold a long object at his side, leaving the scene poised between vigil and threat — a survivor at the shore, or a sentinel before the storm. It shows Peterson working in pure black, white and gray, using negative space and a restrained palette to deliver mood and foreboding instead of impact, and it expands the emotional range of his graphic vocabulary toward atmosphere and dread.
Collector Perspective
A 2025 hand-pulled screen print in a very small edition of 20, pencil-signed and numbered by the artist (signature and number visible in the lower margins). The tiny edition size puts it among Peterson's scarcer print releases — well below the 100–200 runs typical of his more widely available editions. Its muted black-and-gray palette and atmospheric, almost cinematic composition set it apart from the high-contrast red-and-black work that drives most secondary-market demand, which can cut two ways: distinctive and uncommon for committed collectors, but a less obvious fit for buyers seeking the canonical Peterson look. Strong pick for someone building depth in his catalog rather than chasing the signature image.
Historical Context
Released in 2025, "Fire In The Night" belongs to the later phase of Cleon Peterson's printmaking, in which the Seattle-born artist (b. 1973) has periodically stepped away from his characteristic depictions of mob violence and abuse of power toward more atmospheric, mood-driven imagery. Peterson built his reputation on flat black/white/red/gold scenes of conflict influenced by Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, and is a frequent Shepard Fairey collaborator; works like this one show the same graphic discipline applied to landscape, solitude and aftermath rather than open brutality.
FAQ
What does Fire In The Night depict?
A single silhouetted figure standing at the edge of a dark sea, facing away into the night, beneath a vast sky of billowing smoke-like clouds rendered in gray-green and black. The figure appears to hold a long object at his side, lending the quiet scene an undercurrent of menace.
What is the edition size?
Just 20 — a very small run, making this one of Cleon Peterson's scarcer print releases.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. The print is hand-signed and numbered in pencil by Cleon Peterson, with the signature and edition number in the lower margins.
What is the medium?
A hand-pulled screen print (silkscreen), produced in 2025.
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, drawing on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art. He 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.