Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Cycle (First Edition)
Summary
Cycle (2016) is a hand-finished screen print in an edition of 80 at 82.5 × 60 cm on Keaykolour Original White 300gsm. Built with Quink ink, bleach, acid, and screen-printed acrylic paint, each impression is unique, and every sheet is signed and numbered by the artist.
Why It Matters
The title Cycle evokes the continuous erosion and renewal of the urban surface that Vhils excavates in his wall work. The corrosive finishing literalizes that cycle: ink is laid down and then partly eaten away, so creation and destruction occur within the same sheet.
Collector Perspective
With 80 unique impressions, Cycle offers a mid-sized edition on distinctive coloured Keaykolour stock. The bleach-and-acid variation guarantees individuality, and the artist's hand-finishing gives collectors a tactile, one-of-a-kind object at an approachable scale within his catalogue.
Historical Context
Cycle is a companion to Hazy, sharing identical dimensions, paper, edition size, and chemical technique in 2016. Together they exemplify Vhils' standardized studio process of the period, where the same corrosive method produced closely related editions on premium coloured paper.
FAQ
Is Cycle related to another Vhils print?
Yes. It shares its 82.5 × 60 cm size, Keaykolour paper, edition of 80, and technique with Hazy from the same year.
Why is each print unique?
Quink ink, bleach, and acid react differently on every sheet, so no two of the 80 impressions match.
What paper is used?
Keaykolour Original White 300gsm.
About the Artist
Vhils is the working name of Alexandre Farto, a Portuguese visual artist born in 1987 near Lisbon. He is internationally recognized for a pioneering "carving" technique in which he excavates portraits from layered walls, billboards, and surfaces using chisels, drills, and controlled explosives, effectively creating images by removing material rather than adding it. His large-scale murals appear in cities across the globe, and his studio editions translate this bas-relief, destructive-creation aesthetic into prints, laser-cut works, and mixed-media pieces. Vhils has exhibited widely and collaborated on major public and institutional projects.
Collecting Vhils at Gauntlet Gallery
What Vhils works can I collect?
Beyond his walls, Vhils produces signed, numbered studio editions including screenprints, hand-carved paper, laser-cut metal, and mixed-media relief works. Editions that preserve his signature carving texture are especially sought after. Gauntlet Gallery favors pieces in excellent condition with intact surfaces and complete documentation.
How is a Vhils piece authenticated?
We sell Vhils works with documented studio provenance, supported by the edition's signature and numbering. Each piece is photographed exactly as it will ship, including signature, edition number, and any embossing or studio marks, so details are verifiable up front.
What drives value?
Medium and technique (unique carved and relief works over flat prints), edition size, scale, condition, and documented provenance all shape price. Hand-worked, textural, and one-of-a-kind pieces carry the highest premiums.