Gauntlet Gallery — Retna Print Index
Black On Blast
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Black On Blast (2022) is a two-color lithograph printed on a Marinoni lithographic press, hand-cut, with glitter added by hand. Issued in an edition of 99 on BFK Rives 300 gsm at 98.5 x 70 cm, it combines traditional lithographic printing with a tactile, hand-finished glitter surface.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition size: 99. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The work bridges Retna's atelier lithography and his taste for hand-embellished editions. Marinoni-press printing on heavyweight BFK Rives is a fine-art standard, while the hand-applied glitter individualizes each of the 99 sheets. The near-meter scale gives the coded script commanding wall presence.
Collector Perspective
At 99, it is more available than his stone-lithograph runs of 12 while retaining the same press pedigree. The listing referenced a CHF price at release, but collectors should rely on current documentation rather than that figure. Hand-glitter finishing makes condition and framing important considerations.
Historical Context
BFK Rives and the Marinoni press place this firmly in the European fine-art print tradition Retna adopted for his 2020s gallery editions. The two-color approach keeps the palette restrained, letting the architecture of his invented alphabet carry the composition across the large sheet.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned lithograph
- Release date
- 2022
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Lithograph; catalog dimensions 98.5 x 70 cm; Type: 2-color lithograph, printed with Marinoni lithographic press, hand cut, glitters added by hand; Paper: BFK Rives 300 g; This lithograph comes signed by the artist at the back of the lithograph, numbered and stamped by our publishing house.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition size: 99.
- Signature and marks
- The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Documented History and Meaning
History note: This page treats Retna'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 2022 and attributes the edition to Print Them All.
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 Print Them All. 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.
- Retna — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
- RETNA (Q16218751) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.
FAQ
How was it printed?
It is a two-color lithograph pulled on a Marinoni lithographic press, then hand-cut, with glitter applied by hand.
What paper is used?
BFK Rives 300 gsm, a heavyweight cotton-rag stock standard for fine-art lithography.
What is the edition size?
Ninety-nine impressions, measuring 98.5 x 70 cm.
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