Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Mr Brainwash Print Index
Hulk - Metal Spray Can (Purple)
Summary
Part of Mr. Brainwash's 2019 Marvel spray can series, the Hulk in purple renders the comic hero across a functional aerosol can. At 7.5 x 2.5 inches in an edition of 125, each can is thumb-printed and numbered by the artist, turning the graffiti writer's core tool into a collectible sculptural object.
Why It Matters
The spray can is the foundational instrument of street art, and Brainwash literalizes that lineage by making the can itself the artwork. Printing a corporate superhero onto it fuses Pop appropriation with graffiti culture, a signature move that connects his practice to the aerosol tradition celebrated in Exit Through the Gift Shop.
Collector Perspective
Small three-dimensional objects photograph and display differently than framed prints, and the 125-piece run keeps the Hulk accessible while remaining a discrete edition. The thumbprint provides a physical mark of the artist's hand. Collectors weigh the purple colorway against the other Marvel cans as part of a broader set.
Historical Context
Released in 2019, this belongs to Brainwash's ongoing engagement with comic-book iconography during that period. The Hulk's roots in Marvel's Silver Age make him ready-made Pop material, and translating him onto a spray can situates the piece within the artist's habit of colliding mass entertainment with street-art materials.
FAQ
Is each spray can signed?
According to the release, each can in the Marvel series is thumb-printed and numbered by the artist, giving every example a physical mark of authorship rather than a pen signature.
How large is the piece?
It measures 7.5 x 2.5 inches, the scale of a standard aerosol can, and functions as a small sculptural object rather than a wall print.
How many were made?
The purple Hulk was released in an edition of 125.
Why a spray can?
The spray can is the primary tool of graffiti and street art, so presenting it as the artwork itself ties the object directly to that tradition.
About the Artist
Mr. Brainwash is the pseudonym of Thierry Guetta, a French-born, Los Angeles-based street artist who rose to prominence through Banksy's 2010 documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop. Originally a videographer who filmed street artists including Shepard Fairey and Banksy, Guetta reinvented himself as an artist, staging his ambitious 2008 debut show "Life Is Beautiful" in Los Angeles. His work draws heavily on pop-art appropriation, remixing icons such as Warhol, Einstein, Charlie Chaplin, and spray-paint splatters. He has produced album art and large-scale exhibitions across the U.S. and Europe.
Collecting Mr Brainwash at Gauntlet Gallery
What Mr. Brainwash prints should I buy first?
Start with hand-finished screenprints and stencil works from his named exhibitions, where each impression is signed, numbered, and often uniquely embellished with spray-paint or stamps. Smaller editions and show-related pieces from "Life Is Beautiful" and later gallery runs are the most recognizable entry points. At Gauntlet Gallery we prioritize pieces with clean condition and complete signing.
How is authenticity documented?
Gauntlet Gallery sells Mr. Brainwash works with documented studio provenance and the artist's own signature, numbering, and thumbprint or stamp where present. We photograph the exact piece you receive, including signature and edition details, so what you verify is what ships.
What drives value?
Value is driven by edition size, whether the piece is hand-embellished versus a flat print, subject popularity, condition, and provenance tied to a documented exhibition. Signed, low-numbered, and uniquely finished impressions command the strongest premiums.