Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Les Enfants d’Ouranos - Ethereal
Summary
Les Enfants d'Ouranos - Ethereal is the hand-finished counterpart in the 2025 Ouranos series, combining giclée, screen print, Quink ink, bleach and paste-up on Hahnemühle German Etching 310gsm paper at 100 by 70 centimetres. It runs to an edition of 40 plus 10 artist proofs and 6 RN.
Why It Matters
Layering giclée, screen print, ink, bleach and paste-up makes each example a unique object rather than a straight reproduction, mirroring the additive-subtractive process of Vhils's carved walls. Bleach and Quink introduce chemical unpredictability that no two prints share.
Collector Perspective
The edition of 40 and the labour-intensive hand-finishing put this at the premium end of the Ouranos series, well above the larger Leap. Collectors gain genuine uniqueness and the larger 100 by 70 scale, with the trade-off that mixed chemical media reward stable display conditions.
Historical Context
Created in 2025 as the elevated tier of the collaborative Ouranos project, Ethereal demonstrates Vhils's signature use of destructive processes such as bleach and acid as creative tools, applied here within a mythological framework of origin and lineage.
FAQ
Why is Ethereal hand-finished?
Each piece layers giclée, screen print, Quink ink, bleach and paste-up, so every example is unique.
How does it differ from Leap?
Ethereal is the smaller, hand-finished, more elaborate edition of 40; Leap is the larger standard giclée edition of 180.
What is the edition size?
Forty pieces plus 10 artist proofs and 6 RN, signed and numbered by the artists.
What are its dimensions?
100 by 70 centimetres.
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.