Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Oxymoron
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Oxymoron (2020) is a hand-finished screen print in an edition of 300, made with screen ink, Quink ink, bleach and acid on Keaykolour Original China White 300gsm paper at 50 by 70 cm. Signed and numbered by the artist, each impression carries individual surface variation from its hand-applied corrosive finishing.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition of /300. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The title Oxymoron gestures at the tension at the heart of Vhils's method: creation through destruction, portraits made by removing rather than adding. The bleach-and-acid treatment literalises that contradiction on the paper. Within his 2020 print output, it is a strong example of the conceptual naming and subtractive technique that unify his editions.
Collector Perspective
An edition of 300 places Oxymoron in Vhils's accessible tier, though hand-finishing ensures each sheet is unique. Authentication rests on the pencil signature, number and the specified China White stock. Collectors should treat the acid-worked surface as intentional and inspect it in person where possible to appreciate the variation.
Historical Context
Issued in 2020 via Underdogs, Oxymoron sits among a cohort of hand-finished screen prints through which Vhils, born Alexandre Farto, brought his carved-wall aesthetic to collectors on paper. His reputation by then spanned major cities where his portrait interventions had become landmarks.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2020
- 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; Screen print on paper; Screen print ink, Quink ink, bleach, and acid; Hand-finished, signed and numbered by the artist.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition of /300.
- Signature and marks
- The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature 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: Issued in 2020 via Underdogs, Oxymoron sits among a cohort of hand-finished screen prints through which Vhils, born Alexandre Farto, brought his carved-wall aesthetic to collectors on paper. 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 2020 and attributes the edition to Underdogs.
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 Underdogs. 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
Why is it titled Oxymoron?
The name reflects Vhils's paradox of making images by destroying surfaces, creation through subtraction.
What is the edition size?
An edition of 300, signed and numbered by the artist.
How is it finished?
By hand with Quink ink, bleach and acid over the screen print, so each sheet differs.
What are the dimensions?
50 by 70 cm on Keaykolour Original China White 300gsm paper.
