Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Shame (Timed Edition)”
Summary
A glossy black cast sculpture depicting a hunched, faceless figure with both hands pressed over its head and face in a posture of shame and despair, mounted on a low black plinth. Released by Cleon Peterson as a 2025 timed edition, it translates the artist's flat black-and-white painted iconography of human anguish and abjection into a smooth, three-dimensional object.
Why It Matters
Shame" distills the central emotional charge of Cleon Peterson's work — the brutality and humiliation buried inside civilization — into a single, wordless human gesture. Where his paintings and prints stage mobs, beatings and writhing crowds, this object isolates one body collapsing under its own guilt and self-loathing, rendered in his signature funereal black with a high-gloss, almost monumental finish. It marks Peterson's continued expansion from two-dimensional graphic work into sculpture and collectible objects, and gives collectors a tactile, sculptural counterpart to the recurring themes of power, morality and despair that define his output.
Collector Perspective
This is a timed-edition object from 2025, meaning the run was open for a fixed window rather than capped at a small fixed number, so it will not be among Peterson's scarcest releases — timed editions typically yield larger pools and softer secondary scarcity than his numbered screen prints or low-run sculptures. Medium and exact edition size are not confirmed here; buyers should verify whether it ships signed and/or numbered and whether it includes a certificate before assuming either. As a sculptural object it occupies a different lane than his paper editions: display impact is strong, but liquidity on three-dimensional pieces tends to be thinner and slower than on his flat prints. Treat it as a design-forward collector object rather than a blue-chip investment hold.
Historical Context
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) built his reputation on stark, high-contrast scenes of violence, power and social conflict, drawing on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, and through frequent collaborations with Shepard Fairey. Across the 2010s and 2020s he extended his graphic language into sculpture, skate decks and editioned objects. "Shame" sits within this 2025 wave of object-based work, taking the abject, hunched human forms that recur throughout his paintings and casting them as a freestanding monument to guilt and human frailty.
FAQ
What does this sculpture depict?
A hunched, faceless black figure with both hands clasped over its head and face in a gesture of shame, grief or despair, mounted on a low rectangular base. It isolates a single anguished human body rather than the crowds and fights seen in much of Peterson's painted work.
What is the edition size?
It was issued as a 2025 timed edition, meaning the run was open for a set period rather than capped at a fixed small number. The exact final quantity is not stated here and should be confirmed with the release details.
Is it signed and numbered?
This is not confirmed in the available information. Timed editions are sometimes signed but not always numbered; buyers should verify signature, numbering and any certificate of authenticity directly before purchase.
What is it made of?
The exact medium is not specified. It appears to be a cast object with a smooth, high-gloss black finish on a matching black plinth; confirm the material (resin, composite or metal) with the seller or release documentation.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for flat, high-contrast black, white, red and gold scenes of violence, power and social conflict. He draws on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, is a frequent Shepard Fairey collaborator, and has expanded into sculpture and editioned objects.
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.