Gauntlet Gallery
What is D*Face’s piece called “Street Improvements 1”
Summary
A screen print styled as a vintage 1950s-60s product advertisement, in which a hooded figure in a decorator's protective suit and gas mask stands holding a large dripping white watering can, flanked by mock ad copy hawking a "Brand New D-DOG MODEL 41" that "can now be filled with ink, paint or paste." It is a clean example of D*Face's early career strategy of hijacking the visual language of consumer advertising and comic-strip print to satirise street culture, branding and the act of "improving" the urban environment.
Why It Matters
The print sits at the intersection of D*Face's two core preoccupations: the appropriation of mid-century advertising graphics and a self-aware commentary on street art's own paste-up, paint and ink culture. By presenting graffiti tools as a wholesome consumer product (the "D-DOG MODEL 41," a nod to his D*Dog character) sold through a HURRY-buy-now ad, he turns the marketing machine he critiques back on the subculture itself. The muted sage-and-cream palette, retro typography and faux-promotional layout demonstrate the design literacy that separated D*Face's work from cruder street output of the period and helped legitimise the StolenSpace circle as gallery-worthy.
Collector Perspective
As a 2008 hand-pulled screen print from D*Face's earlier output, this is a recognisable period piece rather than one of his marquee skull or winged-eye images that command the strongest secondary demand. The edition size is unconfirmed, which adds a degree of caution for buyers who should seek confirmation of run size and signature before committing. The advertising-parody motif is desirable to collectors who favour his conceptual, text-driven work over the pure pop-portrait pieces, and condition (clean margins, no toning on the cream stock) materially affects value. Realistically it occupies a mid-tier position in his print market: collectible and on-brand, but without the broad cross-buyer pull of his signature characters.
Historical Context
Produced in 2008, the print belongs to D*Face's Early Street Era, when he and the StolenSpace gallery he co-founded were pushing British street art from walls into a collectible print market alongside contemporaries like Banksy and the Faile collective. The imagery deliberately mimics post-war American and British print advertising and comic-book back-page promotions, the same source material he defaced throughout this period. The "fill with ink, paint or paste" copy references the literal toolkit of fly-posting and graffiti, framing street intervention as a packaged consumer good and reflecting the era's growing self-awareness about street art's commercialisation.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A parody of a vintage product advertisement: a hooded figure in a decorator's protective suit and gas mask holds a large dripping white watering can, surrounded by mock ad copy promoting a 'Brand New D-DOG MODEL 41' that 'can now be filled with ink, paint or paste.' A 'PASTE' bucket and stylised city skyline sit at the bottom, with a 'HURRY!' sunburst badge at top left.
Who is the artist?
D*Face is the British street artist Dean Stockton (b.1978, London), a pop-art provocateur known for defacing comic-book romance, advertising and celebrity imagery. His signature motifs include the winged-eyed D*Dog, grinning skulls and doomed comic-strip lovers, and he co-founded the StolenSpace gallery in East London.
What is the medium and year?
It is a screen print (silkscreen) produced in 2008, on a cream stock in a muted sage green, black and white palette.
What is the edition size?
The edition size is unconfirmed for this listing. Buyers should ask for confirmation of the run size, ideally from the verso edition stamp or the artist's certificate, before purchase.
Is it signed and numbered?
D*Face limited-edition prints are typically hand-signed and numbered in pencil, often on the lower margin or verso, though signature and numbering on this specific example should be confirmed with the seller.
Related Works
About the Artist
D*Face is the working name of Dean Stockton (b. 1978, London), a leading figure in British street art. He came up pasting stickers and posters across London in the early 2000s, then built a pop-fuelled visual language that defaces comic-book romance, advertising and celebrity iconography. Recurring motifs include his winged-eyed D*Dog, grinning skulls and doomed comic-strip lovers. His practice spans screenprints, hand-painted multiples, sculpture and large-scale murals worldwide, and he co-founded the StolenSpace gallery in London. His work satirises consumerism, power and our collective obsession with fame.
Collecting D*Face at Gauntlet Gallery
Where can I buy authentic D*Face prints?
Gauntlet Gallery offers an extensive, authenticated inventory of D*Face prints and contemporary editions, with new drops added regularly. Browse the current collection at gauntlet.gallery.
How does Gauntlet Gallery ensure authenticity?
Gauntlet Gallery is built on curation, authenticity and transparency — every work is vetted and its provenance, edition details and condition are disclosed up front.
Does Gauntlet Gallery add new D*Face prints?
Yes. New drops are released regularly across D*Face and other leading artists; see gauntlet.gallery for the latest inventory.