Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Faile Print Index
Suspenso / Elegant Danger (First Edition)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Suspenso / Elegant Danger is a hand-painted varied edition of just 11, printed on heavyweight archival paper at 28 x 40 inches. Each of the eleven impressions is individually worked, signed, stamped, and embossed with the FAILE 2016 mark. The B-Side construction and tiny edition size place it among the studio's rarest editioned works.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Hand-painted, Varied Edition of 11. The saved release record describes: signed; embossed / blind-stamped. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
An edition of only 11 makes Suspenso / Elegant Danger one of the scarcest hand-painted varied editions in FAILE's catalog. The bilingual title pairing pulp-melodrama suspense with elegant danger reflects the duo's fondness for cinematic, comic, and romance-tabloid sources, and the individual hand-work renders each of the eleven essentially unique.
Collector Perspective
At a $2,500 release with only 11 examples, this is a genuinely rare acquisition where each impression is distinct. Collectors should evaluate the specific example's composition and condition closely, verify the signature, stamp, and embossing, and note the FAILE 2016 mark against the 2018 catalog listing when comparing pieces.
Historical Context
The Suspenso imagery draws on Spanish-language pulp and melodrama sources, part of FAILE's long engagement with mid-century comic and tabloid aesthetics. Extremely small hand-painted varied editions like this represent the apex of the studio's editioned practice, produced in numbers approaching unique works.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2018
- 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; catalog dimensions 40 x 28 inches; Heavyweight Archival Paper; Signed, Stamped & Embossed.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Hand-painted, Varied Edition of 11.
- Signature and marks
- The saved release record describes: signed; embossed / blind-stamped. 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 2018 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
How rare is this edition?
With only 11 hand-painted impressions, it is among the smallest and rarest varied editions FAILE has produced.
Why does it read FAILE 2016 if listed as 2018?
The FAILE 2016 stamp is part of the imagery and marking; collectors should note both the stamp date and the catalog release year when comparing examples.
Are impressions identical?
No. Each of the 11 is hand-painted and varied, so every impression is distinct.
What does the title reference?
Suspenso draws on Spanish-language pulp and melodrama imagery, paired here with the Elegant Danger B-Side.
