Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Scratching The Surface (First Edition)
Summary
Scratching The Surface (2014) is a seven-colour lithograph printed on a Marinoni press in an edition of 200 at 90 × 60 cm. On hand-cut BFK Rives 270gsm paper, it is signed and numbered by the artist and stamped by IDEM Studio.
Why It Matters
The title captures Vhils' method precisely — he works by scratching and carving into surfaces to reveal images. As a seven-colour Idem Studio lithograph, this print carries that ethos into a refined format, and the IDEM stamp documents its Paris atelier provenance for collectors.
Collector Perspective
At 90 × 60 cm, this is one of the larger Vhils lithographs, though its edition of 200 makes it more available than his tighter runs. The IDEM Studio stamp adds verifiable provenance, and the seven-colour build gives it visual depth valued by collectors of his fine-print work.
Historical Context
Printed at Idem Studio, whose history runs through the great modernists, Scratching The Surface (2014) is a keystone Vhils lithograph that shares its Paris atelier lineage with Glimpse. Its title has become shorthand for the artist's entire subtractive philosophy.
FAQ
What does the IDEM stamp signify?
It documents that the print was produced at Idem Studio in Paris, adding verifiable atelier provenance.
How large is the edition?
200 impressions, larger than many Vhils editions, making it comparatively more available.
What are the dimensions?
90 × 60 cm on hand-cut BFK Rives 270gsm 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.