Gauntlet Gallery
What is D*Face’s piece called “Race Face”
Summary
"Race Face" shows a classic comic-strip romance clinch with a deadly D*Face twist: a purple-haired pin-up in a red dress embraces a racing driver in white coveralls, but his lifted visor reveals a grinning skull instead of a face, and a fuel-brand patch on his sleeve reads "Drrazoiln" in mock-Shell lettering against the yellow scallop logo. It is a representative example of D*Face's appropriated mid-century romance comics, where idealized lovers are corrupted into doomed, skull-faced figures satirizing consumerism, danger and the cult of speed.
Why It Matters
The print distills D*Face's core method: hijacking the visual language of 1950s-60s romance and advertising comics and detonating it from within. By replacing the heroic racing driver's face with a skull and parodying a global fuel logo, he ties the pop fantasy of glamour and speed to mortality and corporate branding in one image. Within his catalogue it sits squarely alongside the lovestruck, death-haunted couples that have become his signature, extending a lineage that runs from Lichtenstein's Ben-Day melodrama into contemporary street-pop critique.
Collector Perspective
An edition of 100 is mid-sized for D*Face hand-pulled screen prints, scarcer than his larger open or 150-plus runs but not among his tightest releases. The doomed-lovers-with-skull motif is one of his most recognizable and consistently sought formats, which supports demand on the secondary market, and the strong red/black/yellow palette and bold scale make it display well. As a 2022 release it is relatively recent, so it trades closer to primary levels than his early 2000s work; condition, an intact full-color image and verified signature/numbering are the main value drivers.
Historical Context
The imagery draws on American mid-century romance comics and motorsport/petrol advertising, both staples of post-war consumer culture that D*Face mines throughout his career. The skull-faced driver and the parodied fuel-brand patch update that nostalgia for a contemporary read on speed, risk and corporate identity. Produced in 2022, the print belongs to the Contemporary Era and to a body of work that grew out of the UK street-art movement D*Face helped build, including his founding of the StolenSpace gallery in East London.
FAQ
What does Race Face depict?
A comic-strip-style romantic embrace between a purple-haired woman in a red dress and a racing driver in white coveralls. The driver's lifted helmet visor reveals a grinning skull instead of a face, and a parodied fuel-brand patch reading 'Drrazoiln' appears on his sleeve, turning a glamorous racing romance into a memento-mori on speed and consumerism.
How large is the edition?
The edition size is 100.
What medium is it?
It is a hand-pulled screen print, the format D*Face uses for most of his limited-edition releases.
Is it signed and numbered?
D*Face limited prints are typically hand-signed and numbered by the artist, usually in pencil in the lower margin. Signature and numbering on this specific impression should be confirmed from photos of the actual sheet.
Who is D*Face?
D*Face is the British street artist Dean Stockton (born London, 1978), a pop-art provocateur known for defacing comic-book romance, advertising and celebrity imagery with skulls and his winged-eye 'D*Dog' motif. He co-founded the StolenSpace gallery in London.
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.