Gauntlet Gallery
What is D*Face’s piece called “Time Flies”
Summary
A circular silver, coin-like emblem rendered to look minted or engraved: a single all-seeing eye sits above a draining hourglass, flanked by the curved words "CHEAT DEATH" and downward-pointing arrows, with the "D*FACE" name banding the base and small marginal text ("ESTd. 1973," "ENDLESS," "FWT"). It distills D*Face's memento-mori preoccupations into a mock-heraldic seal, trading his usual comic-strip lovers for the cold iconography of money, time and mortality.
Why It Matters
The print condenses D*Face's running themes—consumer power, the passage of time and the futility of cheating death—into a single counterfeit "currency" device. By borrowing the visual language of coinage, masonic seals and the dollar bill's all-seeing eye, he satirises the way wealth and branding promise permanence while time keeps draining. It sits comfortably alongside his skull and winged-eye work as a piece about mortality dressed in the trappings of value and authority.
Collector Perspective
With an edition of just 14, this is one of the scarcest formats D*Face releases—well below his standard 100–300 run open and mid-tier editions. The tiny edition makes it a specialist piece rather than an entry point; supply to the secondary market is sporadic, so when one surfaces it tends to draw interest from collectors chasing rarity and the skull/mortality theme. The monochrome silver palette is restrained next to his louder pop pieces, which can narrow buyer appeal, but the low number is the headline. Realistic positioning: a niche, low-availability print whose value rests more on scarcity than on broad iconographic recognition.
Historical Context
Made in 2014, during what's categorised as D*Face's Pop Provocation era, the design leans on engraved-coin and seal imagery—the pyramid-and-eye of the US dollar, decorative guilloché borders, mock foundation dates ("ESTd. 1973," the artist's birth year)—to mimic the authority of money and institutions. The hourglass and "CHEAT DEATH" motto place it within the long memento-mori tradition that runs through his skull-heavy output, here reframed as a satirical token of value rather than a romance-comic appropriation.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A circular silver coin- or seal-like emblem on black: an all-seeing eye above a draining hourglass, flanked by the curved words "CHEAT DEATH" and downward arrows, with the "D*FACE" name across the bottom and small marginal text including "ESTd. 1973" and "ENDLESS."
How large is the edition?
The edition size is 14, making this one of the scarcest formats D*Face produces.
What medium is it?
It is a screen print (silkscreen), dated 2014.
Is it signed and numbered?
D*Face limited prints are typically hand-signed and numbered by the artist, though signing/numbering on this specific example should be confirmed from the actual piece or its certificate.
Who is D*Face?
D*Face is British street artist Dean Stockton (b. 1978, London), a pop-art provocateur known for defacing comic-book romance, advertising and celebrity imagery, recurring skull and winged-eye ("D*Dog") motifs, and for co-founding 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.