Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Passage (First Edition)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
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.
Collector notes: Edition of 90 plus 20 artist's proofs according to the saved release record. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
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.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2023
- 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 100 x 70 cm; Screen print on paper; Screen print ink, Quink ink, bleach, and acid; Hand-finished, signed and numbered by the artist Astropack Avorio 280 g/m2 paper.
- Edition details
- Edition of 90 plus 20 artist's proofs according to the saved release record.
- 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: By 2023 Vhils had spent over a decade refining a subtractive visual language on walls, posters, and etched surfaces. 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 2023 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
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.
