Paintings by Cleon Peterson
Paintings by Cleon Peterson
Cleon Peterson is an LA based artist whose chaotic and violent paintings show clashing figures symbolizing a struggle between power and submission in the fluctuating architecture of contemporary society.
Cleon’s paintings are monochromatic while channeling at the same time the fashion sensibility of the early 80’s, complete with skinny ties and day glow colors.
In Cleon Peterson’s anxiety-riddled world, violence is the status quo. His dystopian scenes evoke Thomas Hobbes’ description of life as war between individuals: “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” Many of Peterson’s paintings feature images of hostility removed from any scenery that might bring reason to bear a sense of justness to the brutality; the only context given is the mélange of evisceration coating the floor. In other works, the setting is a cityscape where storefronts only serve to indulge the base narcissism and vice taking place on the streets.
“A psychiatrist once bought one of my paintings, and he said I must be mad at my mother (laughs). Maybe, I don’t know. I’d say that part of what I’m painting are things that I feel like I’ve experienced – when I was at the low points in my life; when I was living on the streets, and a junkie…”
Cleon is drawn to narratives that evokes a sinister or devious side of culture. He believes there is a truth everyone can relate to in feelings of struggle, desperation, pain and failure. The grey area between the dual nature of authority in our world is where his paintings live. He has been featured in LA Record Magazine, Juxtapoz, and Eyes Cream (Japan), Arkitip Issue No. 0005. And has been collected by international collectors, musicians and world art leaders such as Jeffrey Deitch.
Artwork

End of Days by Cleon Peterson
End of Days by Cleon Peterson

Judgement (Gold) by Cleon Peterson
Judgement (Gold) by Cleon Peterson

Pepper Pot Gold by Cleon Peterson
Pepper Pot Gold by Cleon Peterson

Pepper Pot Black by Cleon Peterson
Pepper Pot Black by Cleon Peterson
Exhibitions
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Blake Jones: When No One Was Looking
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Pepi Erdbories: Love Letters & Modern Philosophy
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Yokoteen: Day In The Blue
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Bibi Lei: Fight For Love
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The End Of The Road: Group Exhibition
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Fanny Brodar: Party Town
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Debbie Reda: My Childhood Cast
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Adam Handler: Ghost Poems
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Kristin Moore: Golden Hour
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Pepi Erdbories: Is Love Really Worth It
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Kristin Moore: Way Back When
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Brock DeBoer: The Gossamer Series
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Bijijoo: Leggy
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Sebastian Magnani: Once Upon A Time
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Alex Voinea: Serendipitous Expressions
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Hong Ji-Young: Epidermis World
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Pepi Erdbories: May You Make Yourself Happy
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Introducing Todd Koelmel
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Brock DeBoer: Sculpture Release
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André Wendland: Exclusive Release
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Holiday Shop
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Karl Lagerfeld: Photographic Legacy
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Identity by Sage Barnes
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Capturing Time: Stephen Wilkes’ Day to Night Series
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Yeka Okazaki: Melty & Michi
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Fanny Brodar: Party Town
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Hugo Baud: Face To Face
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Yokoteen: Friends In Paradise
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Guy Hepner Editions Announces New Gallery Space
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Cosmic Cowboy: Colorful Rebels with a Creative Cause
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Johan Deckmann: Love Everlasting
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Now on View: Warhol, Basquiat, Hirst, and KAWS
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Andy Warhol: Wild Raspberries
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Brock DeBoer: Sculptura Series
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Starsky Brines: A Balance of Dichotomies
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Tim Gatenby: Pop Mania
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Tyler Shields: Duality
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Introducing Bernandi Desanda
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Introducing Juliano Mazzuchini
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Adam Handler: Ghost Poems
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Introducing Petra von Kazinyan
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A Conversation with Kristin Moore
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Flora Borsi: Surreal Identity
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A Conversation with Brittany Fanning
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Ed Ruscha: Landscapes
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Andy Warhol: Marilyn Monroe Prints
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Andy Warhol: Reigning Queens
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Roy Lichtenstein: The Female Evolution
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A Conversation with Tania Marmolejo
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A Brief History of Fashion Photography
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Banksy: Early Prints
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The Tax Collection: 2018 Curatorial Residency
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Tim Bessell x Andy Warhol Surfboards
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Clairvoyance Exhibition
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Bruce Makowsky and the Art of Luxury
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Legendary Andy Warhol at Guy Hepner
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Roy Lichtenstein at Guy Hepner