Gauntlet Gallery — Mr Brainwash Print & Edition Index
Happy Birthday Elvis! - Cadillac King
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Cadillac King is a first-edition print from the 2019 Happy Birthday Elvis series, a hand-finished screen print measuring 30.5 x 46 inches in an edition of 50. It pairs the King of Rock and Roll with automotive iconography, remastering the classic Elvis image for a new series of works on paper.
Collector notes: Edition of 12 according to the saved release record. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered; artist thumbprint on the reverse. Verify each feature on the physical copy.
Why It Matters
The Cadillac motif fuses two mid-century American symbols, the King and the car, into a single nostalgic image. Where art and music collide is exactly the territory Mr. Brainwash favors, and this first-edition treatment establishes a new take on Elvis distinct from the Jailhouse Pop compositions in the same series.
Collector Perspective
At an edition of 50 with hand finishing, Cadillac King sits in the accessible-to-mid tier of the Elvis group. Its first-edition status and the wide 30.5 x 46-inch landscape format give it a distinct profile. Collectors assembling the Elvis series often pair it with the Jailhouse Pop variants for thematic completeness.
Historical Context
The Cadillac and Elvis are entwined in American mythology, from the pink Cadillac he famously gifted his mother to the car's status as a postwar prosperity symbol. Mr. Brainwash's composition draws on that shared iconography, extending pop art's long fascination with both celebrity and consumer objects.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Hand-finished editioned print
- Release date
- 2019-01-09
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release date from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Series
- Happy Birthday Elvis
- Medium and materials
- Screen Print | Hand Finished; catalog dimensions 30.5 x 46 inches; one-color screenprint; hand-finished; archival paper.
- Edition details
- Edition of 12 according to the saved release record.
- Signature and marks
- The saved release record describes: signed; numbered; artist thumbprint on the reverse. Verify each feature on the physical copy.
Documented History and Meaning
History note: The studio dates Mr Brainwash's first Life Is Beautiful solo exhibition to 18 June 2008; this page treats that as career context, not proof that the present edition appeared in that exhibition.
Meaning / interpretation: The studio describes the practice as combining street-art energy, pop-culture imagery and positive messaging. Subject-specific intent or endorsement is not assumed unless a release or collaboration source states it. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2019-01-09 and attributes the edition to Mr Brainwash (Self Released). The saved release copy frames it as a birthday tribute edition.
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- Original packaging or presentation was not documented in the release sources reviewed.
- Authentication note
- No certificate is stated in the saved release description. For an individual copy, compare the support, dimensions, edition number, signature, thumbprint and any studio or gallery paperwork. The studio says it cannot guarantee works bought from external vendors.
- Provenance note
- Edition origin is attributed in the legacy record to Mr Brainwash (Self Released). That does not establish the ownership history of an individual copy: retain the original invoice, reseller or gallery paperwork, labels, correspondence and condition photographs.
Related Artists and Exhibitions
- Life Is Beautiful — first solo exhibition — CBS Columbia Square, Hollywood · 18 June 2008 · Artist-career context; the source does not establish that this later edition was exhibited
Videos
- Official video archive — ARTE and Los Angeles Times features — Mr Brainwash studio · Artist process and exhibition context; not release-specific
Sources and Verification
Verification status: Secondary catalog snapshot; official studio policy and career context added
- Saved release record — Art Collectorz · secondary catalog snapshot · Accessed 2026-07-12 · Starting record for title, date, edition, dimensions, medium, release price and release description. Public access was unavailable during this audit, so primary confirmation remains pending.
- Studio FAQ — certificates and web orders — Mr Brainwash studio · primary artist policy · Accessed 2026-07-12 · The studio says it issues COAs only for works after January 2021 and will not backdate earlier works.
- Collector authentication disclaimer — Mr Brainwash studio · primary artist policy · Accessed 2026-07-12 · The studio does not guarantee externally purchased works and directs collectors to the relevant reseller or gallery.
- About Mr Brainwash — Mr Brainwash studio · primary artist source · Accessed 2026-07-12 · Studio biography and artist-level context; it is not an individual-edition record.
- Life Is Beautiful — first solo exhibition — Mr Brainwash studio · primary artist archive · Accessed 2026-07-12 · Studio history of the 18 June 2008 debut exhibition, which included prints among several media.
FAQ
What is the documented edition structure?
Edition of 12 according to the saved release record.
Which signature or authentication features are documented?
The saved release record describes: signed; numbered; artist thumbprint on the reverse. Verify each feature on the physical copy. No certificate is stated in the saved release description. For an individual copy, compare the support, dimensions, edition number, signature, thumbprint and any studio or gallery paperwork. The studio says it cannot guarantee works bought from external vendors.
Is original packaging documented?
Original packaging or presentation was not documented in the release sources reviewed.
How certain are the release details?
The date, edition, dimensions, medium and original-release description come from a saved secondary catalog record. Official studio sources on this page support artist-level context and current authentication policy, but not every release-level field.
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