Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Faile Print Index
Smoking Silence (First Edition)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Smoking Silence (First Edition) is a 2007 Faile typographic work combining laser etching, silkscreen, and spraypaint on paper at 18 x 24 inches. Part of a series of four typographic pieces, the text is physically burned into the paper by laser etching — a tactile, hard-to-photograph detail that sets it apart from Faile's image-driven editions.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition of 25. Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
Smoking Silence is unusual in Faile's catalog for foregrounding type and material process over collage imagery. The laser-etched, burned-in lettering gives the sheet a sculptural, low-relief quality, and its place within a four-part typographic series makes it a distinctive conceptual departure for the collective.
Collector Perspective
Collectors value this piece for its material innovation — the burned-in type is a tactile feature rarely seen in screen-printed editions. The combination of laser etching, silkscreen, and spraypaint on a compact 18 x 24 inch sheet rewards in-person viewing, since the etched text is subtle in photographs. Condition of the etched surface is a key consideration.
Historical Context
In 2007 Faile experimented beyond straight screen printing, and the four-part typographic series that includes Smoking Silence reflects that. Incorporating laser etching alongside their usual silkscreen and spraypaint shows the collective pushing into new materials while retaining their street-derived graphic sensibility.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2007
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Screen Print | Hand Finished | Laser Etching; catalog dimensions 24 x 18 cm; These are a series of 4 typographic pieces using laser etching, silkscreen and spraypaint on paper; The type is actually burned into the paper, a little tough to see in photos but we were really excited with the results.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition of 25.
- Signature and marks
- Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering 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: In 2007 Faile experimented beyond straight screen printing, and the four-part typographic series that includes Smoking Silence reflects that. 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 2007 and attributes the edition to Lazarides Gallery.
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 Lazarides Gallery. 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 makes the type unusual?
The lettering is physically burned into the paper by laser etching, giving it a low-relief, tactile quality that is difficult to capture in photographs.
Is this part of a series?
Yes. It is one of four typographic pieces Faile produced using laser etching, silkscreen, and spraypaint on paper.
What size is it?
The sheet measures 18 x 24 inches, combining laser etching, silkscreen, and spraypaint.
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