Gauntlet Gallery — Retna Print Index
Even The Heart Skips a Beat (Black On Black)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
A 2024 two-color screenprint from an edition of 99, Even The Heart Skips a Beat (Black on Black) is executed on Somerset Rad white velvet 330 gsm and finished with hand-applied black glitter. Measuring 110 x 73.2 cm and hand-cut, it distills Retna's coded alphabet into a dense, tonal field where mark and surface merge rather than contrast.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition of 99. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The black-on-black treatment is a deliberate reversal of legibility. By denying the usual figure-ground separation, Retna forces the eye to read texture and reflected light instead of high-contrast line. The hand-applied glitter turns each impression into a slightly unique object, positioning this among his more materially ambitious editioned works of the mid-2020s.
Collector Perspective
At an edition of 99 with a substantial 43-inch scale, this print offers presence without the extreme scarcity of his stone-lithograph runs of 12. The hand-glitter finish means condition and even light are central: collectors should view it in raking light and confirm the signature and numbering, which sit on the sheet's premium velvet stock.
Historical Context
Retna, born Marquis Lewis in Los Angeles, built his reputation on an invented script fusing calligraphic traditions from Gothic blackletter, Arabic, and Egyptian sources with West Coast graffiti. This 2024 edition continues his gallery-print practice of translating that alphabet onto refined papers, extending the studio's move toward tonal, monochrome surfaces.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2024
- 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 110 x 73.2 cm; 2-color screenprint with black glitters added by hand; Somerset Rad white velvet 330 gsm., hand cut.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition of 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 2024 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
What makes this the 'Black on Black' version?
It uses two black-family colors on white velvet stock with hand-applied black glitter, suppressing contrast so the composition reads through texture and reflected light rather than line.
How large is the edition?
It is an edition of 99, signed by the artist. The description was cut off before full signing details, so verify the exact signature placement against the physical sheet.
Is the glitter machine-applied?
No. The description specifies black glitter added by hand, which makes each impression subtly individual and condition-sensitive.
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