Cleon Peterson confronts the violence and chaos embedded in society, turning Los Angeles into a dystopian stage for power struggles that echo globally.
Cleon Peterson is a provocative voice in contemporary painting, known for his stark, graphic portrayals of violence, domination, and social collapse. Based in Los Angeles, Peterson’s works are populated by faceless figures locked in chaotic struggles—a metaphor for global imbalance and collective anxiety. His aesthetic, rooted in Greco-Roman form and modernist reduction, mirrors the structural tensions of LA: a city both radiant and fractured. His pieces resonate with mythic violence and dystopian critique, offering an allegorical take on contemporary power.
His work has been exhibited at institutions including the Palais de Tokyo (Paris), Cranbrook Art Museum, Denver Art Museum, Musée des Abattoirs (Toulouse), and galleries such as Albertz Benda (New York) and Kaikai Kiki Gallery (Tokyo).
