Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Vhils Print Index
Unfold
Summary
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.
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.
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.
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.