Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Caustic
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Caustic, dated 2017 and released in this 2018 first edition, is a screen print with bleach, ink and acid on paper at 70 x 50 cm. Hand-finished, signed and numbered in an edition of 150 plus 10 artist's proofs, its title directly references the corrosive chemistry at the heart of Vhils' technique.
Collector notes: Edition of 150 plus 10 artist's proofs according to the saved release record. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
Caustic names the process it embodies. The bleach and acid literally eat into the printed surface, reproducing the eroded, excavated quality of Vhils' wall portraits. As a self-referential title, it foregrounds the destructive-creative method that distinguishes his work from conventional screen printing.
Collector Perspective
At 150 plus 10 AP, Caustic is among Vhils' more limited paper editions, and the hand-finishing guarantees impression variation. Collectors should note the 2017 creation date against the edition release, and examine how the acid and bleach have resolved on their specific sheet.
Historical Context
Created in 2017 and issued as a first edition into 2018, Caustic sits within Vhils' established studio practice of chemically treated screen prints. The consistent use of bleach, ink and acid ties it to the wider body of work in which Alexandre Farto translates urban erosion onto paper.
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 70 x 50 cm; Screen print, bleach, ink and acid on paper; Hand-finished, signed and numbered by the artist.
- Edition details
- Edition of 150 plus 10 artist's proofs according to the saved release record.
- 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 Vhils'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: Created in 2017 and issued as a first edition into 2018, Caustic sits within Vhils' established studio practice of chemically treated screen prints. 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 2018 and attributes the edition to Over The Influence.
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 Over The Influence. 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.
- Vhils — official site — Vhils studio · primary artist source · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Official artist site; career context, not an individual-edition record.
- Vhils — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
- Vhils (Q115823) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.
FAQ
Why is Caustic dated both 2017 and 2018?
The work was created in 2017 and issued in this first edition released in 2018.
What is the edition size?
150 impressions plus 10 artist's proofs, hand-finished, signed and numbered.
What does the title refer to?
It references the caustic bleach and acid used to corrode the printed surface, central to Vhils' method.
