Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Faile Print Index
Captivating (Signed)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
"Captivating" is a 2003 Faile screen print issued at 71 x 51 cm in an edition of 750, with impressions numbered 1-100 hand-signed by the artist. The image leans on knowing self-reference, carrying the word "captivating" in inch-high black lettering across a haunting central figure, a hallmark of the Brooklyn collective's early pulp-poster language.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition of 750. Numbers 1-100 signed by the artist -. The saved release record describes: signed. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
This print dates to 2003, the formative window when Faile was refining its cut-and-paste, text-over-image signature. The self-describing caption, art that literally announces its own effect, is a playful nod to advertising and pulp romance. As a signed impression from the first hundred, it sits in the more sought-after tier of an already modest edition.
Collector Perspective
Collectors distinguish sharply between the signed 1-100 impressions and the unsigned balance of the 750-run edition. This example belongs to the signed tier, the smaller and generally more desirable subset. Condition matters given the large paper format: examine edges, corners, and any handling marks, and confirm the pencil number falls within the 1-100 signed range.
Historical Context
Faile, the Brooklyn-based collective formed around 2003, emerged from street-poster culture into gallery editions during this exact period. Their early prints repurpose comic, romance, and advertising imagery through layered screen printing. "Captivating" reflects that origin, borrowing the seductive vocabulary of mass media while turning it back on the viewer with self-aware wit.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2003
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Screen Print; catalog dimensions 71 x 51 cm.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition of 750. Numbers 1-100 signed by the artist -.
- 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: Read as documented context rather than stated intent: Faile, the Brooklyn-based collective formed around 2003, emerged from street-poster culture into gallery editions during this exact period. This is an interpretive reading of the release context, not a statement of the artist's intent for this specific work. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2003 and attributes the edition to Pictures On Walls.
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- Original packaging or presentation was not documented in the release sources reviewed.
- 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 Pictures On Walls. 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
What is the edition size for Captivating?
The total edition is 750, with impressions numbered 1-100 hand-signed by the artist. This example is a signed impression from that smaller subset.
How large is the print?
It measures 71 x 51 cm, a substantial poster-scale screen print typical of Faile's early editions.
What year was it made?
It was produced in 2003, during the formative period of Faile's move from street posters into gallery editions.
Why does the word 'captivating' appear on the image?
The self-describing caption is a deliberate, playful nod to advertising and pulp romance, a recurring device in Faile's text-over-image work.
