Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Unfold
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Unfold (2022) is a risograph on black 170 g/m2 paper, worked with bleach and hand-finished, signed, and numbered by the artist. At a compact 35 x 23 cm, it is one of Vhils's smallest editions, using the bleach-on-black technique to lift a portrait out of a dark ground rather than carving it from a wall.
Collector notes: Legacy catalog label: First Edition; total quantity was not documented in the saved record. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The bleach-on-black method inverts Vhils's usual subtractive logic in an elegant way: the image emerges as bleach removes pigment from the black sheet, echoing his wall-carving process on an intimate scale. Its small format and reactive, hand-finished surface make Unfold a concentrated study in his erosion aesthetic, distilled to a portable size.
Collector Perspective
Small-format works like Unfold are attractive entry points and pair well grouped with other Vhils editions. The bleach hand-finishing ensures each sheet is individual. Its 35 x 23 cm size suits collectors with limited wall space or those assembling a salon-style hang. As with all bleach works, UV-protective framing helps preserve the reactive surface.
Historical Context
Risograph printing, prized for bold flat tones, has become a favoured medium among contemporary and street artists. Working bleach into a black substrate connects Unfold to Vhils's broader interest in destruction as a creative act. The intimate scale reflects a strand of his practice aimed at accessible, widely collectible editions alongside his monumental works.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned print or object
- Release date
- 2022
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Hand Finished | Risograph; catalog dimensions 35 x 23 cm; Risograph on paper and bleach; Hand-finished, signed and numbered by the artist; Black 170 g/m2 paper.
- Edition details
- Legacy catalog label: First Edition; total quantity was not documented in the saved 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: No per-work artist statement is recorded for this edition. Any thematic reading should be treated as interpretation of the imagery, not a documented statement of the artist's intent. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2022 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
How large is Unfold?
A compact 35 x 23 cm, one of the smaller Vhils editions.
What technique creates the image?
A risograph on black paper worked with bleach, which lifts the portrait from the dark ground.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes, each is hand-finished, signed, and numbered by the artist.
How does it echo his mural work?
The bleach removes pigment to reveal the image, mirroring his subtractive wall-carving method.
