Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Fading Glam
Summary
Fading Glam, from 2008, is a varied-edition hand-finished screen print of 17, made with ink and bleach and measuring 70 x 50 cm. The bleach eats into the printed ink to produce the eroded, faded surface the title describes, and with only 17 varied impressions, each sheet is distinct.
Why It Matters
The title captures a recurring tension in Vhils's work: the collision of glamour, advertising, and celebrity imagery with inevitable decay. Using bleach on ink to physically enact that fading, this 2008 print is both conceptually and technically on-theme, and its edition of 17 keeps it firmly in the rare tier.
Collector Perspective
An edition of 17, varied and hand-finished with bleach, gives this print high scarcity and individual character. Collectors should examine how the bleach has corroded the ink on the specific sheet, since that reaction defines the image. As an early 2008 work, provenance and condition verification are important.
Historical Context
Made in 2008 as Vhils gained international attention, Fading Glam reflects his critique of consumer and advertising imagery, the glossy surfaces of urban visual culture worn down by time. The bleach technique mirrors the weathering he stages on walls, applying the logic of the street to the studio sheet.
FAQ
How was the fading effect achieved?
Bleach was applied over the ink, corroding it to create the faded, eroded surface the title references.
How scarce is it?
Rare, with a varied edition of only 17 hand-finished impressions.
What theme does it address?
The collision of glamour and advertising imagery with decay, a recurring concern in Vhils's practice.
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.