Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Faile Print Index
Les BALLETS de FAILE NYC (First edition)
Summary
"Les BALLETS de FAILE NYC" is a 27-color screen print, 32 x 44 inches, on 310 gsm Coventry Rag with a deckle edge, signed and dated FAILE 2013. Based on the duo's Les Ballets de Faile block imagery, it translates their sculptural wooden-block motifs into a richly layered large-format edition.
Why It Matters
Les Ballets de Faile was a major thematic body of work for the duo, and this print renders one of its block designs in a demanding 27-color build. The large scale, archival rag paper, and direct link to a named FAILE project give it standing as a flagship edition, connecting a collectible print to the wider Ballets series.
Collector Perspective
Collectors value the piece as a print counterpart to FAILE's Ballets block paintings, offering the imagery in accessible edition form. The 27-color process and heavyweight deckle-edge stock place it among the duo's premium releases. Signed and dated, it presents well at scale, with condition and margin cleanliness being the primary evaluation points.
Historical Context
The Les Ballets de Faile series drew on the duo's fascination with movement, theatricality, and their signature carved wooden blocks, presented as sculptural, stacked assemblages. Emerging in the early 2010s, it showed FAILE synthesizing painting, sculpture, and print into a unified aesthetic, of which this 2013 edition is a defined graphic expression.
FAQ
What is this print based on?
It is based on one of FAILE's Les Ballets de Faile block designs.
How many colors are used?
It is a 27-color screen print.
What are its dimensions and paper?
32 x 44 inches on 310 gsm Coventry Rag with a deckle edge.
Is it signed?
Yes, it is signed and dated FAILE 2013.
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.