Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Faile Print Index
Shanghai Street Mao (Pretty In Pink)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
"Shanghai Street Mao (Pretty In Pink)" is a 2006 signed Faile silkscreen on archival 140 lb watercolor paper, measuring 18 x 24 inches in an edition of 10. Part of Faile's Shanghai Street portrait series, it renders a Mao image in a pink treatment, merging political iconography with Faile's pop-collage sensibility.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition of 10. The saved release record describes: signed. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The Mao subject connects Faile to a long lineage of Pop appropriations of political portraiture, while the pink colorway and street-poster framing make it distinctly their own. At an edition of 10 on heavyweight archival watercolor paper, it is both scarce and physically substantial for a print of its size.
Collector Perspective
Confirm the piece is hand-signed by Faile and that it is the pink variant, as the Shanghai Street series spans multiple subjects and colorways. The 140 lb watercolor stock resists cockling but can show handling; prioritize flat, clean impressions with a legible signature and an in-range edition number.
Historical Context
Faile's Shanghai Street works drew on the visual language of East Asian street advertising and propaganda imagery the collective encountered in their travels and source material. Produced in 2006, the series reflects the studio's broader practice of sampling global street ephemera and recasting recognizable political icons through a graphic, poster-derived lens.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2006
- 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 24 x 18 inches; Silkscreen on Paper; Archival 140 LB Watercolor Paper.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition of 10.
- 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 2006 and attributes the edition to Faile Shop.
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 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
Is this print signed?
Yes, it is signed by Faile and dated 2006.
What paper is it printed on?
Archival 140 lb watercolor paper, a heavyweight stock, at 18 x 24 inches.
How many were made?
The edition is 10, placing it among Faile's smaller silkscreen runs.
What is the "Pretty In Pink" reference?
It designates the pink colorway of the Shanghai Street Mao composition, distinguishing it from other treatments in the series.
