Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Pentimento (Special Edition)
Summary
Pentimento (Special Edition), 2020, is a collector package built around the Vhils monograph 'Pentimento – Alexandre Farto aka Vhils,' issued in an edition of 300. The book carries texts by Roger Gastman and Miguel Moore with graphic design by João M. Machado, published by Vhils Studio, and pairs the monograph with a hand-finished screen print at 36 by 24 cm.
Why It Matters
The term pentimento, an artist's visible change of mind beneath a painting's surface, is a fitting title for Vhils, whose work reveals hidden layers. This special edition unites a substantial monograph, with essays by street-art historian Roger Gastman, with an editioned print, making it both a reference volume and a collectible object at 300 copies.
Collector Perspective
Value here depends on completeness and condition: the book unmarked and the accompanying hand-finished screen print unhandled, kept together as issued. At 300 examples the edition is limited but not scarce. Collectors gain both a documented text on Vhils's practice and a signed artwork, an appealing combination for those building a research-backed holding.
Historical Context
Published by Vhils Studio in 2020, the Pentimento monograph consolidated Vhils's decade of practice with critical texts, including from Roger Gastman, a leading chronicler of graffiti and street art. The special edition format reflects a maturing artist packaging his own scholarship and imagery for a collector audience.
FAQ
What is included in the Special Edition?
The 'Pentimento' monograph plus a hand-finished screen print at 36 by 24 cm, in an edition of 300.
Who wrote the book's texts?
Roger Gastman and Miguel Moore, with graphic design by João M. Machado, published by Vhils Studio.
What does 'pentimento' mean?
It refers to an underlying change beneath a work's surface, fitting for Vhils's layer-revealing practice.
What drives its value?
Keeping the book and print together in good condition, as issued.
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.