Gauntlet Gallery
What is D*Face’s piece called “Freerollin' (First Edition)”
Summary
Freerollin' depicts a blonde comic-strip heroine in Lichtenstein-style Ben-Day-dot pop, pulling a pair of yellow-lensed aviator sunglasses onto her face as a single tear rolls down her cheek. She wears a battered military helmet sprouting D*Face's trademark stubby wings (with a frowning sun and snail decal) above a pink hoodie, recasting the artist's recurring 'doomed lover' archetype as a road-tripping outsider caught mid-cry.
Why It Matters
The print distills the core D*Face move: hijacking the visual grammar of mid-century American romance comics and advertising, then poisoning the sweetness with melancholy and irony. The weeping pin-up, the cheap brand-style decals, and the winged helmet (a nod to his 'D*Dog' wing motif) turn nostalgic Americana into a comment on disillusionment, freedom and emotional commodification. It sits squarely in his lineage from Roy Lichtenstein and Warhol while carrying the graffiti-bred bite that made him a fixture of the UK and US urban-art scenes.
Collector Perspective
At an edition of 72, Freerollin' (First Edition) is a genuinely small run for a contemporary D*Face screen print, which supports it as a focused collector piece rather than a mass-market poster. The crying comic-girl is among his most recognizable and consistently sought subjects, which helps demand, though it is a recent 2023 release without a long resale track record yet. Condition, full margins, and an intact signature/numbering will matter most to value; as with most editioned street-art prints, the first edition designation can carry a premium over any later or color variants.
Historical Context
Made in 2023, the work belongs to D*Face's mature Contemporary-era practice, where he continued mining 1950s-60s romance-comic and advertising imagery he has reworked since the 2000s. The Ben-Day dots, bold black outlines and flat color blocks directly reference Roy Lichtenstein's appropriations of pulp comics, while the winged helmet and decal-strewn surface tie it to D*Face's own iconography developed across his StolenSpace gallery years and street output.
FAQ
What does Freerollin' depict?
A blonde comic-book-style woman pulling on yellow-lensed sunglasses with a tear running down her cheek, wearing a winged military helmet (with a frowning sun and a snail decal) and a pink hoodie, rendered in Lichtenstein-style Ben-Day dots.
How large is the edition?
This is the First Edition, limited to 72 prints.
What medium is it?
It is a hand-pulled screen print, released in 2023.
Is it signed and numbered?
D*Face limited-edition prints are typically hand-signed and numbered by the artist, though signing/numbering should be confirmed against the specific example before purchase.
Who is D*Face?
D*Face is the British street artist Dean Stockton (b. 1978, London), a pop-art provocateur known for defacing romance-comic, advertising and celebrity imagery with motifs like the winged-eyed 'D*Dog,' skulls and doomed comic-strip lovers; he co-founded the 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.