Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Passage (First Edition)
Summary
Passage (2023) is a hand-finished screen print on Astropack Avorio 280 g/m2 paper at 100 x 70 cm. Vhils layers screen print ink with Quink ink, bleach, and acid, so each impression carries its own corrosion pattern. Signed and numbered in an edition of 90 with 20 APs and 10 RNs, it is a large-format expression of his eroded-portrait vocabulary.
Why It Matters
The use of bleach and acid alongside conventional ink is central to Vhils's practice: it mimics the weathering and destruction he draws out of city walls. On paper, these reactive agents create unpredictable degradation, meaning Passage functions less as a reproducible image and more as a controlled experiment in material decay applied to portraiture.
Collector Perspective
At 90 signed impressions plus proofs, the edition is mid-sized for a contemporary print. The chemical hand-finishing means no two sheets are identical, which appeals to collectors who prize variation. The large 100 x 70 cm scale demands wall space and careful framing; the bleach and acid work also warrants UV-protective glazing to preserve the reactive surface over time.
Historical Context
By 2023 Vhils had spent over a decade refining a subtractive visual language on walls, posters, and etched surfaces. Bringing bleach and acid into the print studio extends that erosion philosophy to paper. The inclusion of RN (a reserved numbering designation) alongside APs reflects the layered edition structures common to European print publishers of the period.
FAQ
What is the full edition breakdown?
Edition of 90, plus 20 artist's proofs and 10 RN impressions, all signed and numbered.
What makes each print unique?
Beyond screen print ink, each is hand-finished with Quink ink, bleach, and acid, producing individual corrosion and tonal variation.
What paper is used?
Astropack Avorio 280 g/m2 paper, at 100 x 70 cm.
Why does Vhils use acid and bleach?
They replicate the weathering and destruction he uncovers when carving urban walls, translating that decay onto paper.
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.