Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Ephemeral Decay
Work Summary & Collector Notes
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.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition of 65 Size: 50cm x 70cm. Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
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.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2008
- 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; One colour hand-pulled screen-print using bleach on hand-painted inks.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition of 65 Size: 50cm x 70cm.
- Signature and marks
- Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering 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: 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. 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 2008 and attributes the edition to Pictures On Walls.
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 Pictures On Walls. 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
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.
