Gauntlet Gallery
What is D*Face’s piece called “Turn Coat (HPM - Lilac)”
Summary
A close-up, comic-strip portrait of a glamorous woman in profile — long lilac-purple hair with bold black linework, downcast heavy-lidded eyes, and parted red lips — set against a Ben-Day-dot background with a white wing motif at the upper right. It is the "Lilac" hand-embellished colorway of D*Face's "Turn Coat," squarely within his defaced-romance-comic lineage that hijacks the visual language of 1960s pulp love stories to portray the doomed, duplicitous lover.
Why It Matters
"Turn Coat" sits at the center of what D*Face is best known for: appropriating the seductive, mass-produced imagery of romance comics and advertising, then subverting it. The crying-glamour-girl trope — lifted from Roy Lichtenstein and the pulp panels he in turn borrowed — is recast here with a title that names betrayal, turning a fantasy of romance into a comment on deception, fame and emotional commodification. As a Hand Painted Multiple, each impression is individually worked by hand, so the piece bridges D*Face's pop-print practice and his one-off painted canvases, which is where his market credibility as a fine artist (not just a printmaker) is built.
Collector Perspective
An edition of 100 is mid-sized for D*Face, but the HPM designation matters more than the headline number: because each is hand-embellished, the practical pool of any single look is effectively unique, and HPMs consistently command a premium over the standard screen-print run. The defaced-romance-girl motif is among D*Face's most recognizable and collectible subjects, second only to the D*Dog, and the lilac colorway gives it a distinct, decorative wall presence that appeals beyond hardcore street-art buyers. As a hand-finished work it is less liquid than an open color-matched print — buyers are purchasing a one-off, so value tracks condition, the quality of the hand-painting, and signature/numbering rather than a fungible market price.
Historical Context
The imagery descends directly from the romance and crime comics of the late 1950s and 1960s, the same source pool Lichtenstein mined; D*Face (Dean Stockton, b.1978, London) re-weaponizes it as a critique of consumerism, celebrity and manufactured emotion. The work belongs to his Pop Provocation era, the body of output that established his profile alongside his founding of London's StolenSpace gallery. The year of this specific edition is unconfirmed, but the style and HPM format are consistent with his mature pop-appropriation practice.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A close-up comic-strip portrait of a glamorous woman in profile, with long lilac-purple hair, downcast heavy-lidded eyes and parted red lips, set against a Ben-Day halftone-dot background with a white wing motif. It draws on 1960s romance-comic imagery, recast by D*Face as a doomed or duplicitous lover.
How large is the edition?
The edition size is 100.
What does HPM mean here?
HPM stands for Hand Painted Multiple — each of the 100 impressions is individually hand-embellished by the artist, so no two are exactly alike. This is the 'Lilac' colorway.
Is it signed and numbered?
D*Face limited editions are typically hand-signed and numbered by the artist; this example shows a pencil edition number and signature along the lower margin, though specifics should be confirmed against the actual piece and any certificate.
Who is D*Face?
D*Face is Dean Stockton (b.1978, London), a British street and pop artist known for defacing romance-comic, advertising and celebrity imagery, with motifs including the winged-eyed D*Dog and grinning skulls. He co-founded London's StolenSpace gallery.
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.