(^18) | APRIL 2016
THE REPORT
IT DOESN’T TAKE A TRANSPACIFIC FLIGHT FOLLOWED
by massive jet-lag that causes all-hours-of the-night
watching of BBC World News to understand that the world
is a brutal, brutal place. It helps, of course, to set a standard,
a universal agreement amongst people of the globe, if
you will, that a world in constant flux is a world in constant
negotiation between the powerful and the powerless.
There has been notable global recognition and appeal
regarding Los Angeles-based fine artist Cleon Peterson,
who, until 12 months ago was balancing a career as both
a designer at a reputable agency and a full-time artist.
The work he was creating struck a chord, an arguably
universal and language-defying portrayal of the bitter
and disproportionate use of violence that plagues the
power and class struggles of humanity. With the twenty-
first century mired in multiple wars, whether domestic or
international conflicts, Peterson’s paintings actually depict
a ubiquitous world climate.
This past January, Peterson’s newest body of work, Purity,
found itself showcased in the burgeoning international art
capital of Hong Kong. It opened just as China announced
a 25-year low in economic growth, the immigration crisis
in Europe surged rampantly and the GOP’s presidential
candidates aimed to turn back the clock on many social
issues. Purity, in that sense, seemed like an appropriate
moniker. With the HK-based arts organization, Over the
Influence, hosting the exhibition, Peterson was able to
create his largest works to date, adding to the immediacy
and chaotic cinematic content of the work.
“The world is in crisis mode right now, and nobody knows
what is going to happen,” Peterson remarked in a quiet park
in the Sheung Wan neighborhood of Hong Kong, “But they
feel and know things are changing, and not for the better.
And it’s hard because there are people who say we need to
change, and that violence is a human problem to fix. But if you
look at our past, there isn’t a lot of evidence that humans will
make some positive changes and people are going to respect
THE BRUTALITY OF THE ABSOLUTE
CLEON PETERSON’S PURITY IN HONG KONG
above
Cleon Peterson painting
in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Photo by Evan Pricco
right
A Taste of Death
Acrylic on canvas
84” x 84”
2015
tuis.
(Tuis.)
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