Cleon Peterson 'Balance Of Power' White Print Available

Artist: Cleon Peterson
Title: Balance Of Power (White)
Medium: Hand Pulled Deckled 1 Color Screen Print
Size: 38 x 18 Inches
Edition: 75
Price: $200

 

Cleon Peterson is a Los Angeles based artist known for a distinct and unsettling aesthetic that explores the darker impulses of the human condition. His work typically utilizes a restricted color palette of black, white, and primary tones to depict chaotic scenes of violence, power struggles, and social collapse. Drawing inspiration from classical Greek pottery and graphic design, Peterson creates flat, shadowless compositions where stylized figures engage in brutal acts of subjugation and war.

The imagery in his paintings and large scale murals often mirrors the anxieties of modern society, focusing on themes of police states, clashing ideologies, and the inherent cruelty found in hierarchies of power. His characters are frequently anonymous, stripped of individual identity to serve as archetypes of the oppressor or the oppressed. This lack of facial detail forces the viewer to confront the raw action and the systemic nature of the aggression portrayed rather than personal narratives.

Beyond his traditional canvas work, Peterson has gained recognition for massive public installations and collaborations that bring his shadow world into real world environments. His influence extends into the realms of street art and commercial design, where his bold silhouettes provide a stark commentary on the cyclical nature of history and human conflict. By stripping away nuance and focusing on the binary of victory and defeat, Peterson challenges his audience to reflect on the institutionalized violence and moral decay that persist beneath the surface of civilization. His art remains a visceral reminder of the thin line between order and the primal urge for dominance.