Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Ephemeral Decay
Summary
Ephemeral Decay, from 2008, is a one-colour hand-pulled screen print in an edition of 65, measuring 70 x 50 cm. It uses bleach on hand-painted inks, a subtractive technique where bleach lifts and fades the underlying ink, producing the transient, weathered surface the title evokes.
Why It Matters
The title distills Vhils's entire thesis: decay as something transient and revealing rather than merely destructive. The one-colour bleach-on-ink method strips his process to its essentials, and at an edition of 65 it offers a more attainable route into his rare 2008 works while retaining the hand-finished, subtractive character.
Collector Perspective
At 65 impressions, Ephemeral Decay is less scarce than his editions of 11 to 17 but still limited and hand-pulled. The one-colour approach and bleach finishing make surface condition and tonal integrity central. Collectors seeking an early, thematically pure Vhils at a more accessible edition size should note this one.
Historical Context
Produced in 2008 as Vhils moved from graffiti into gallery editions, Ephemeral Decay exemplifies his foundational technique of using bleach to erode ink, the studio equivalent of carving into a wall. The theme of impermanence connects directly to his interest in the fleeting, layered life of urban surfaces.
FAQ
What is the technique?
A one-colour hand-pulled screen print using bleach on hand-painted inks, a subtractive method that fades the ink to create the image.
How large is the edition?
An edition of 65, more accessible than Vhils's smaller 2008 runs of 11 to 17.
What does the title mean?
It captures decay as transient and impermanent, central to Vhils's view of erosion as revelation.
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.