Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Faile Print Index
Boombox Illusions (First Edition)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Boombox Illusions is a 2018 offset lithograph in a 5-color offset build on 215gsm gloss paper at 27 x 34 inches, issued as an unnumbered edition. It is signed FAILE / Owerko and carries a Mix Tape stamp, marking a collaboration with photographer Lyle Owerko, known for his boombox imagery.
Collector notes: Legacy catalog label: First Edition; total quantity was not documented in the saved record. The saved release record describes: signed. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The FAILE / Owerko dual signature makes Boombox Illusions a documented collaboration between the studio and photographer Lyle Owerko, whose iconic boombox photography informs the imagery. As an offset lithograph rather than a screen print, it represents a more accessible, poster-oriented format within FAILE's output.
Collector Perspective
At a $95 release, Boombox Illusions is one of the most affordable FAILE-associated works, appealing to collectors of the Owerko collaboration and boombox culture. Being unnumbered, the value anchors are the FAILE / Owerko signature and the Mix Tape stamp, so confirming both markers is essential.
Historical Context
Lyle Owerko's boombox photography documents hip-hop and street culture of the 1980s, a subject that dovetails with FAILE's own street-art and pop lineage. The collaboration situates this print within the intersection of music, photography, and graffiti-era nostalgia that both artists engage.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned lithograph
- Release date
- 2018
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Offset Lithograph; catalog dimensions 27 x 34 inches; 5 Color Offset; 215 gsm Gloss Paper.
- Edition details
- Legacy catalog label: First Edition; total quantity was not documented in the saved record.
- Signature and marks
- The saved release record describes: signed. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Documented History and Meaning
History note: This page treats Faile's broader career as background context, not proof that this specific edition belongs to any single exhibition or event. Release-level facts here come from a saved secondary catalog record.
Meaning / interpretation: No per-work artist statement is recorded for this edition. Any thematic reading should be treated as interpretation of the imagery, not a documented statement of the artist's intent. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2018 and attributes the edition to Faile Shop.
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- The saved release description references: Boombox Illusions. Confirm any original sleeve, tube, box, or backing board copy by copy.
- Authentication note
- Compare the support, dimensions, edition number, and signature against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet Gallery does not authenticate works purchased from third parties.
- Provenance note
- Edition origin is attributed in the saved record to Faile Shop. That does not establish the ownership history of an individual copy: retain the original invoice, reseller or gallery paperwork, labels, correspondence, and condition photographs.
Sources and Verification
Verification status: Secondary catalog snapshot; artist-level context added
- Saved release record — Art Collectorz · secondary catalog snapshot · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Starting record for title, year, edition, dimensions, medium, and release description. Primary confirmation against the original release page remains pending.
- FAILE — official site — FAILE studio · primary artist source · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Official studio site; career context, not an individual-edition record.
- FAILE (artist collaboration) — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
FAQ
Who is the collaborator?
Photographer Lyle Owerko, known for his boombox imagery, co-signs the print as FAILE / Owerko.
Is the print numbered?
No, it is an unnumbered offset edition; the FAILE / Owerko signature and Mix Tape stamp are the key authentication markers.
What printing process is used?
A 5-color offset lithograph on 215gsm gloss paper, a poster-style format distinct from FAILE's silkscreen editions.
What is the Mix Tape stamp?
A stamp applied to the print tying it to the boombox and cassette-culture theme of the Owerko collaboration.
