Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Poison”
Summary
Poison depicts two stark black silhouetted figures locked in brutal combat against a saturated red field: a standing aggressor swings a hatchet or cleaver overhead while a hunched, club-wielding figure recoils mid-strike, blood spattering between them. It is a quintessential Cleon Peterson scene of raw, mutual savagery, distilling his ongoing study of power, domination and the violence lurking beneath civilization.
Why It Matters
This print exemplifies Peterson's signature visual language at its most reduced and forceful: flat black figures, no modeling, no background detail, just bodies, weapons and a flood of red. Working in a palette borrowed from classical Greek vase painting and the moral allegories of Hogarth, Peterson strips the figures of identity so the act of violence reads as universal rather than specific. Poison stages aggression as a closed loop in which both combatants are armed and both are bleeding, refusing the comfort of a clear hero or villain and presenting brutality as something humans inflict on one another reciprocally.
Collector Perspective
Poison is a 2015 screen print in a small edition of only 16, typically hand-signed and numbered by the artist in pencil in the lower margin. That tiny edition size puts it well below Peterson's more common 100-plus print runs and toward the scarce end of his output, which matters to collectors chasing the harder-to-find releases. As a single-color-field work on the violence theme rather than a high-profile Shepard Fairey collaboration, it sits as a strong representative example of his core aesthetic; demand for Peterson on the secondary market is steady, and the low edition supports its desirability without being a marquee title.
Historical Context
The work dates to 2015, a period when Peterson's reputation was rising sharply on the strength of gallery shows and his recurring imagery of clubbing, fighting and writhing figures. These years saw him consolidate the flat black-on-red format seen here, drawing explicitly on ancient Greek figure painting and on the satirical moralizing of William Hogarth while filtering it through a street-art directness. Poison belongs to this mature phase in which the artist used minimal means to confront viewers with the mechanics of human aggression.
FAQ
What does Poison depict?
Two black silhouetted figures fighting against a red background: a standing figure swinging a hatchet-like blade overhead and a crouching figure swinging a club, with blood spattering between them. It is a scene of mutual, reciprocal violence.
How large is the edition?
The edition size is 16, making it one of Cleon Peterson's scarcer print releases.
Is the print signed and numbered?
Peterson's screen prints in editions this small are typically hand-signed and numbered by the artist in pencil in the lower margin; buyers should confirm the specific example.
What is the medium?
It is a screen print, produced in 2015.
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 rendered in flat black, white, red and gold. He draws on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, and 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.