Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “The New American Dream (Red)”
Summary
A solid-black, faceless figure in a peaked military-style cap and uniform — boot planted, baton or staff in hand — kneels and drives an elbow or strikes down onto a prone victim laid across a low plinth, set against Cleon Peterson's signature blood-red field. It is a distilled emblem of state brutality: the uniformed enforcer crushing the powerless body beneath him, rendered in Peterson's flat black/white/red vocabulary.
Why It Matters
The image strips Peterson's recurring subject — the abuse of power — down to a single brutal transaction between an armed authority figure and a defenseless body. The peaked cap and uniform read unmistakably as police or military, and the victim splayed across a pedestal turns oppression into a kind of monument, an ironic counter to the patriotic "American Dream" of the title. Working only in black, white and a saturated red, Peterson channels the visual logic of classical Greek vase painting and propaganda graphics to make political violence legible at a glance, which is exactly the quality that has made his work resonate as protest art.
Collector Perspective
A 2026 screen print in a tight edition of just 18, hand-pulled and almost certainly signed and numbered in pencil in the lower margin (the deckled-edge paper and visible signature are consistent with Peterson's standard practice). At this edition size it sits among the scarcer Peterson releases — most of his print drops run larger — so supply is genuinely thin. The bold single-figure composition and the strong red colorway give it good wall presence and broad appeal, which should support demand on the secondary market despite, or because of, the small run. Confirm signature, numbering and any COA on the specific impression.
Historical Context
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) emerged from skate and street-art culture and built a career on stark allegories of violence, power and social conflict, drawing on Greek black-figure vase painting, Hogarth and propaganda imagery. The New American Dream (Red), released in 2026, extends his long-running interrogation of authority and state brutality — a thread that runs through bodies of work like End of Empire — recasting national mythology as an image of an enforcer beating a victim into a pedestal.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A faceless black figure in a military or police-style peaked cap and uniform, holding a baton, kneeling to strike a prone, defenseless body laid across a low plinth — Cleon Peterson's emblem of authority crushing the powerless, set against a saturated red ground.
How large is the edition?
The edition is just 18, making it one of Peterson's scarcer print releases.
Is it signed and numbered?
Peterson's prints are typically hand-signed and numbered in pencil in the lower margin; you should confirm the signature, numbering and any certificate on the specific impression you are buying.
What is the medium?
It is a hand-pulled screen print (silkscreen) on fine-art paper, dated 2026, in Peterson's flat black, white and red palette.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for high-contrast black/white/red scenes of violence, power and social conflict; 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.