Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Sediment
Summary
Sediment is a 2024 hand-worked multiple by Alexandre Farto aka Vhils, made from hand-carved and laser-cut advertising posters at 60 by 40 centimetres. Signed and numbered by the artist in an edition of 50, each example is individually cut and therefore unique.
Why It Matters
This work is the purest editioned expression of Vhils's core method: excavating layered advertising posters by carving and cutting to reveal the strata beneath. The title Sediment names exactly what the piece exposes, the geological build-up of urban paper.
Collector Perspective
Because each is hand-carved and laser-cut from real advertising posters, no two are alike, and the medium is the artist's signature material. The edition of 50 and the direct link to his wall practice make it a conceptually central acquisition, though the layered paper needs careful framing.
Historical Context
Made in 2024, Sediment distills the archaeological approach Vhils developed on city walls, where he chisels through accumulated posters to surface hidden imagery. Using genuine advertising posters ties the edition to the exact materials of his street work.
FAQ
What is Sediment made from?
Hand-carved and laser-cut advertising posters, the same layered paper material central to Vhils's wall practice.
Is each piece unique?
Yes, the hand-carving means every example in the edition of 50 differs.
What does the title mean?
Sediment refers to the geological layering of urban posters that the carving exposes.
What are the dimensions?
60 by 40 centimetres.
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.