Cleon Peterson

Cleon Peterson (born 1973) is an American contemporary artist based in Los Angeles. He is best known for large-scale paintings and murals featuring stylized figures in violent conflict, exploring themes of power, domination, and societal collapse.

Early life and education Born in Seattle, Peterson experienced a troubled youth, later turning to art as a career path.

Career Peterson began his career in graphic design and illustration, notably working for Shepard Fairey’s design agency, Studio Number One, marking a turning point in his transition toward a committed art career. His imagery is characterized by stark, graphic scenes of violence and domination, rendered in black-and-white figures often accented with red. He has also participated in institutional projects such as Lasco Project #8 at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris.

Exhibitions Peterson’s notable solo exhibitions include: Blood & Soil at Over the Influence, Los Angeles (July 8 – August 5 2018), featuring new paintings, bronze sculptures, and a large-scale sculpture. Mr. Sinister at albertz benda, New York (March 3 – April 2 2022), where he premiered a new series exploring power, morality, and fantasy. Under the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars at Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo (February 13 – March 4 2023), his first solo exhibition in Japan in seven years, featuring twenty-seven new paintings.

Critical reception Peterson’s work has drawn a range of critical responses. Reviewing Shadow of Men at MCA Denver, the Denver Post described the show as “hard to look at” but argued that it “forces us to examine the darkness within.”

Other coverage has emphasized the political dimension of his work. It’s Nice That highlighted his 2018 exhibition Blood & Soil as a direct critique of American politics, while Artsy described his violent imagery as “striking at the heart of a divided America.”

At the same time, some critics have questioned the racial dynamics of his black-and-white figures. Hyperallergic noted that Shadow of Men prompted debate over how violence is portrayed in museums, with some viewers finding the imagery troubling.