Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Mr Brainwash Print Index
Samo Is Alive
Summary
Samo Is Alive, 2016, is an eleven-colour screenprint on hand-torn archival paper, hand-finished with spray paint, measuring 33.5 x 46.5 inches in an edition of 125. Signed, numbered and thumb-printed on the verso, it references Jean-Michel Basquiat's early SAMO street tag, tying Mr. Brainwash to graffiti's canonical history.
Why It Matters
The SAMO reference invokes Jean-Michel Basquiat, one of the most important figures to emerge from street art into the fine-art canon. That homage, combined with an eleven-colour build and hand-applied spray paint, makes this one of the more technically involved and art-historically loaded prints in the 2016 group.
Collector Perspective
The Basquiat connection gives this piece strong narrative appeal for collectors of graffiti lineage and street-to-gallery history. The eleven-colour registration and hand-finished spray layer mean high production complexity and impression-level variation. Large landscape format at 33.5 x 46.5 inches; verify signature, numbering and verso thumbprint.
Historical Context
SAMO was the tag Basquiat used with Al Diaz on late-1970s New York walls before his rise to art-world fame. By invoking it in 2016, Mr. Brainwash situates himself within the mythology of graffiti's transformation into gallery art, a lineage he frequently draws on.
FAQ
What does 'SAMO' refer to?
SAMO was the street tag used by Jean-Michel Basquiat in late-1970s New York before his fine-art fame.
How complex is the print?
It is an eleven-colour screenprint, additionally hand-finished with spray paint by the artist.
What is the edition size?
The edition is 125, signed, numbered and thumb-printed on the verso.
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.