Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Exile (Black)”
Summary
Exile (Black) depicts two stark, silhouetted nude figures — a long-haired figure recoiling with arm raised as a clenched, advancing male figure drives forward — locked in a charged scene of pursuit, expulsion and struggle against a flat silver-grey ground. Rendered in Cleon Peterson's signature solid-black, high-contrast vocabulary, it distills his career-long subjects of aggression and the abuse of power into a tense two-figure composition.
Why It Matters
The print condenses Peterson's central themes — domination, conflict and the brutality beneath civilized behavior — into their most economical form: two bodies, no color, no setting. By stripping the scene to silhouette and gesture against bare paper, Peterson channels the figure-on-ground drama of classical Greek vase painting while keeping the violence contemporary and ambiguous, leaving viewers to read the pair as aggressor and victim, exile and exiled. It is a strong example of how his flat graphic language can carry psychological weight with minimal means.
Collector Perspective
A small screen-print edition of 18 from 2025, hand-signed and numbered by the artist in the lower margin. The tiny edition size places it well below Peterson's larger open-palette releases, making it one of the scarcer entries for collectors who follow his work. As a monochrome, single-color silver/black image it reads as a restrained, design-forward piece rather than one of his crowded multi-figure scenes; the limited run supports secondary-market interest, though the muted palette may appeal more to focused collectors than to buyers chasing his red-and-gold signature works.
Historical Context
Created in 2025, Exile (Black) sits within Cleon Peterson's mature body of figure-based screen prints exploring power, violence and social conflict. Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) built his reputation on stark black-white-red compositions drawing on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, and is a frequent Shepard Fairey collaborator. This work continues his practice of issuing pared-down, small-edition prints alongside his larger narrative pieces, here reducing his usual mob scenes to a single confrontational pair.
FAQ
What does Exile (Black) depict?
Two silhouetted nude figures in conflict against a flat silver-grey ground: a long-haired figure recoils with one arm raised while a clenched, muscular male figure advances, evoking pursuit, expulsion and struggle.
What is the edition size?
The edition is limited to 18.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. It is hand-signed and numbered by Cleon Peterson in the lower margin.
What is the medium?
It is a screen print, made 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. He draws on classical Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, and frequently collaborates 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.