Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Seize The Mind & Let's Stick Up The World”
Summary
A two-panel screen-print diptych styled as authoritarian propaganda posters: the left panel ("Seize The Media / Seize The Mind") shows a frontal, peaked-cap officer gripping twin red lightning bolts above a cracked, burning globe topped by a broadcast antenna; the right panel ("Let's Stick Up The World / Split It 50/50 Or Maybe 99/1") shows a red fist aiming a smoking revolver at the viewer with a uniformed figure behind it. It distills Cleon Peterson's core subject — the abuse of power, media control, and economic robbery of the public — into stark black, white, and red graphic agitprop.
Why It Matters
The work is Peterson at his most explicitly political, trading his classical brawling-figure compositions for the visual language of the protest poster: symmetrical authority figures, lightning bolts, a hijacked globe, and a gun pointed at the buyer. The pairing of media capture ("seize the mind") with naked theft ("stick up the world / 99/1") spells out the artist's recurring thesis — that civilization's institutions exist to concentrate power and wealth — in a format built to be read instantly. As a matched diptych it functions as a single statement piece, more legible and slogan-driven than his crowd scenes while keeping the flat, high-contrast palette that makes his work recognizable across a room.
Collector Perspective
Issued in 2025 as a screen print in a very small edition of 18, this is a scarce release by Cleon Peterson's standards, where editions of 100–300 are typical. Peterson prints are usually signed and numbered by the artist; buyers should confirm the signature, numbering, and whether both panels convey as a set. The small edition and diptych format push it toward the upper end of his print market, appealing to collectors who want a bold, text-driven political statement rather than a single image. Low-supply Peterson editions tend to clear quickly on release and hold value, though the niche audience means resale depends on finding the right buyer.
Historical Context
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) emerged from skateboard and street-art culture into gallery work built around violence, power, and social conflict rendered in a flat black/white/red/gold palette drawn from Greek vase painting and Hogarth. This 2025 diptych sits in the overtly propagandistic, slogan-based strain of his output — closer to agitprop posters than to his classical battle scenes — engaging directly with media manipulation and the '99 vs 1' inequality rhetoric of the past decade. It continues a vein of pointed political messaging that connects to his long collaboration with Shepard Fairey and the broader poster tradition of dissent.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
It is a two-panel diptych. The left panel shows a peaked-cap authority figure holding two red lightning bolts above a cracked, burning globe with a broadcast antenna, captioned 'Seize The Media / Seize The Mind.' The right panel shows a red fist aiming a smoking revolver at the viewer with a uniformed figure behind, captioned 'Let's Stick Up The World / Split It 50/50 Or Maybe 99/1.'
How large is the edition?
The edition size is 18, which is small and scarce for a Cleon Peterson release.
Is it signed and numbered?
Peterson editions are typically signed and numbered by the artist. Buyers should confirm the signature and numbering on the actual sheet(s) and verify that both panels are present as a set.
What is the medium?
It is a hand-pulled screen print (2025) in Peterson's signature flat black, white, and red palette.
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 that expose the abuse of authority. He draws on Greek vase painting, Hogarth, and street art, and is 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.