Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Faile Print Index
Size Of The Fight Show Print (Shimmering Silver)
Summary
Released in 2017 as an exhibition print, the Shimmering Silver variant of Size Of The Fight is a five-color silkscreen on 260gsm French Paper, sized at 24 x 18 inches. The metallic silver register gives the composition a reflective, shifting surface, and each of the 100 impressions is signed, embossed, and numbered.
Why It Matters
Show prints tie a work to a specific FAILE exhibition moment, and the Shimmering Silver treatment sets this variant apart from standard editions. The metallic ink and embossing register a level of production care that reinforces its identity as a purpose-made release rather than an open-edition souvenir.
Collector Perspective
At an edition of 100 with full signing, embossing, and numbering, this sits in the accessible tier of hand-pulled FAILE work. The Shimmering Silver colorway is the distinguishing feature collectors track, since metallic variants photograph and display differently than flat-color siblings and are easier to authenticate by embossing.
Historical Context
By 2017, FAILE — the Brooklyn duo of Patrick McNeil and Patrick Miller — had refined a decades-long practice of layered silkscreen work carrying their signature pulp-collage vocabulary. Show prints like this one accompanied gallery presentations, extending the exhibition experience into a limited, hand-finished object.
FAQ
What makes the Shimmering Silver variant distinct?
It uses a metallic silver ink register across the five-color silkscreen, producing a reflective surface that shifts with light, unlike flat-color impressions of the same image.
How is this print authenticated?
Each impression is signed, embossed, and numbered by FAILE, dated 1986 as part of the studio's convention. The blind emboss is a key physical marker to verify.
What is the paper and size?
It is printed on 260gsm French Paper at 24 x 18 inches, a substantial weight suited to the metallic ink layers.
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.