Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Glance (First Edition)
Summary
Glance (First Edition), a 2021 screen print in an edition of 200 plus 20 artist's proofs, condenses Vhils's signature carving language into paper. Beyond conventional screen ink, the artist deploys Quink ink, bleach and acid to hand-finish each sheet on Keaykolour Original China White 300gsm stock. Signed and numbered at 70 by 50 cm, it renders a fragmented human face through subtractive marks.
Why It Matters
Glance translates Vhils's monumental wall-carving practice into an intimate studio object. The combination of bleach and acid on a fine art stock is not decorative; it mirrors the erosion he inflicts on urban surfaces, letting the medium itself perform the act of revelation. For collectors, it is a compact demonstration of his core thesis: identity surfaces through destruction.
Collector Perspective
At 220 total impressions, Glance sits in the accessible tier of Vhils's editioned output while remaining hand-finished, meaning no two sheets are identical. The Quink-and-acid treatment introduces natural variance that rewards in-person inspection. Buyers should confirm the pencil signature and number, verify the China White stock, and treat surface variation as intended rather than a flaw.
Historical Context
By 2021 Alexandre Farto, working as Vhils, had spent over a decade building a portraiture practice defined by carving into walls, billboards and found surfaces across cities worldwide. This edition belongs to a body of studio prints through which his gallery, Underdogs, extended the aesthetic of his large-scale interventions to collectors who could never own a carved facade.
FAQ
What makes this a 'First Edition'?
The designation marks it as the initial editioned release of this image, an edition of 200 with 20 artist's proofs, rather than a later reprint or variant.
Why are bleach and acid used?
They are hand-finishing agents that erode and alter the printed surface, echoing the subtractive carving that defines Vhils's wall works.
Is each print identical?
No. Because the Quink ink, bleach and acid are applied by hand, surface effects vary slightly from sheet to sheet.
How is it signed?
It is signed and numbered by the artist, typically in pencil, on the 70 by 50 cm China White sheet.
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.