Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Faile Print Index
I Used To Be Worth Something (Drips)
Summary
"I Used To Be Worth Something (Drips)" is a hand-finished screen print from a varied edition of 20, signed, stamped, and embossed by FAILE. At 33 x 25 inches, the Drips treatment layers pours and runs over FAILE's signature block-poster iconography, turning a wry title into a knowing meditation on value, decay, and the market itself.
Why It Matters
The small edition of 20 places this firmly among FAILE's collectible, hand-worked prints rather than open runs. The embossing and hand-finishing mean each impression carries unique physical variation, and the self-aware title has become one of FAILE's most quoted phrases, giving the piece both textual wit and material rarity within the duo's catalog.
Collector Perspective
Collectors prize the Drips variant for its one-of-a-kind hand finishing: no two impressions of a varied edition are identical. The triple authentication of signature, stamp, and emboss offers reassurance, and the tight 20-print run keeps supply thin. Condition of the embossed area and the integrity of the poured passages are the details experienced buyers examine first.
Historical Context
FAILE, the Brooklyn-based collaboration of Patrick McNeil and Patrick Miller, built its language from wheat-paste street posters and pulp-collage aesthetics before moving into gallery editions. The self-referential "worth something" theme recurs across their 2011–2014 output, reflecting the pair's ongoing dialogue about art, commerce, and the friction between street origins and collectible status.
FAQ
How large is the edition?
It is a varied edition of 20, meaning each hand-finished impression differs slightly from the next.
How is it authenticated?
Each print is signed, stamped, and embossed by FAILE, the studio's standard triple mark for its hand-finished editions.
What does "Drips" refer to?
Drips describes the hand-applied poured and running ink passages layered over the printed image, unique to each impression.
What are the dimensions?
The sheet measures 33 x 25 inches.
About the Artist
FAILE is a Brooklyn-based artistic collaboration founded in 1999 by Patrick McNeil and Patrick Miller. Known for a distinctive collage aesthetic that blends comic-book imagery, pulp advertising, religious iconography, and street-poster typography, FAILE built its reputation through wheat-pasted works and stencils in cities worldwide. The duo is celebrated for reviving printmaking and woodblock techniques, and for immersive installations such as their prayer-wheel and temple environments. Their work has been exhibited internationally, including projects with the New York City Ballet, bridging street practice and fine-art institutions.
Collecting Faile at Gauntlet Gallery
Which FAILE works are best to collect?
FAILE's signed, numbered silkscreen editions and their hand-finished wood and mixed-media pieces are the core of the market. Screenprints from their studio releases offer an accessible entry, while unique wooden "blocks" and painted works sit at the higher end. Gauntlet Gallery focuses on complete, well-preserved impressions with strong color registration.
How is a FAILE piece authenticated?
We sell FAILE works with documented studio provenance, backed by the edition's signature and numbering. Every piece is photographed as-is, including the signature, edition number, and any studio markings, so you can confirm details before purchase.
What makes one FAILE piece worth more?
Edition size, medium (unique wood pieces over open prints), iconic imagery, condition, and provenance from a known release all drive value. Hand-embellished and one-of-a-kind works consistently outperform standard editioned prints.