Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Ferroscope
Summary
Ferroscope (2023) is a cement cast relief embedded with acid-rusted iron filings, measuring 70 x 50 cm and weighing 26 kg. Signed and numbered in an edition of 50 with 5 APs, it renders a Vhils portrait through raw industrial materials, the oxidised iron staining and colouring the cement surface as a byproduct of controlled corrosion.
Why It Matters
This is Vhils at his most literal about materiality: cement and rusting iron are the very substances of the built environment he carves into. By casting relief and letting acid rust the metal, he lets time and chemistry finish the artwork. It is a heavyweight, wall-referencing object that collapses the distinction between his subject matter and his medium.
Collector Perspective
At 26 kg and cast in cement, Ferroscope is a genuine sculpture requiring robust mounting and load-bearing walls or a plinth. The edition of 50 plus 5 APs is modest, and the industrial process guarantees surface variation between casts. Collectors should treat it as an object: monitor for hairline cracks and note that active rust chemistry may continue to evolve subtly.
Historical Context
Vhils's reputation rests on excavating imagery from concrete facades, so a cement relief edition is a natural studio translation of that street practice. Rust and oxidation have long served artists as agents of chance and entropy. In the 2020s, Vhils increasingly produced weighty relief multiples that let collectors own a fragment of his monumental wall aesthetic.
FAQ
How heavy is Ferroscope?
Each piece weighs approximately 26 kg and is cast in cement at 70 x 50 cm.
What is the edition size?
Edition of 50, plus 5 artist's proofs, signed and numbered.
What creates the colouring on the surface?
Acid-rusted iron filings embedded in the cement oxidise to stain and tint the relief.
Is it a print or a sculpture?
It is a sculptural cement relief object, not a print, which places it among his heavier editioned works.
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.