Cleon Peterson


Cleon Peterson 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. He earned a BFA from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena in 2004 and an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan in 2006.

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.
In 2016, he created Endless Sleep, the first-ever mural painted directly beneath the Eiffel Tower for Nuit Blanche Paris—depicting dynamic, intertwined figures and blending references to Greek frescoes and street art. 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, featuring new paintings, bronze sculptures, and a large-scale sculpture.Mr. Sinister at albertz benda, New York, where he premiered a new series exploring power, morality, and fantasy.Under the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars at Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo, 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.