Gauntlet Gallery — Mr Brainwash Print & Edition Index
The King Pele - Futbol
Work Summary & Collector Notes
The King Pele - Futbol is a single-colour screenprint on hand-torn archival paper, hand-finished by Mr. Brainwash in 2016. Issued in an edition of 75 at 22.5 x 22.5 inches, each impression carries dual authentication: the artist's signature, number and verso thumbprint, plus the signature of Pele himself.
Collector notes: Legacy catalog fields: First Edition; stated size 75. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered; artist thumbprint on the reverse. Verify each feature on the physical copy.
Why It Matters
The dual-signature format is the crux here. Getting an athlete of Pele's stature to hand-sign every impression in an edition is rare in the print world, and it transforms a straightforward one-colour graphic into a sports-memorabilia crossover object. That overlap widens the collector base well beyond Mr. Brainwash's usual street-art audience.
Collector Perspective
Collectors should treat the Pele signature as the primary value driver and verify it independently of the artist's mark. The verso thumbprint is Mr. Brainwash's own authentication habit; confirm it is present. At the small 22.5-inch square format with a 75-run edition, condition of the hand-torn deckle edges matters to presentation.
Historical Context
The 2016 Pele series emerged from a collaboration between Mr. Brainwash and the footballer, spanning multiple compositions. It sits within the artist's long practice of iconography built around global celebrity, following his breakout via Banksy's Exit Through the Gift Shop. Pele's death in 2022 has since made living-signed works of this kind unrepeatable.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Hand-finished editioned print
- Release date
- 2016-10-19
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release date from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Series
- Pelé collaboration
- Medium and materials
- Screen Print | Hand Finished; catalog dimensions 22.5 x 22.5 inches; one-color screenprint; hand-finished; archival art paper; hand-torn edges.
- Edition details
- Legacy catalog fields: First Edition; stated size 75.
- 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 2016-10-19 and attributes the edition to Mr Brainwash (Self Released). The official studio archive documents the 2016 Pelé collaboration.
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
- Pelé — Documented collaborator on the 2016 Pelé project
- 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.
- Pelé x Mr Brainwash Collaboration — Mr Brainwash studio · primary artist archive · Accessed 2026-07-12 · Documents the August 2016 collaboration, including Pelé's participation and markings.
FAQ
What is the documented edition structure?
Legacy catalog fields: First Edition; stated size 75.
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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