D*face

Key facts

Born

1978, British^[1]

Movement

• public art

^[1]

Wikipedia

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• What is D*face known for?+

  D*Face is known for his street art, print editions, and canvas work, which feature winged skulls and deranged cartoon figures. He gained recognition with his 2006 London solo show, Death & Glory, and has since created art on walls in cities worldwide, including Los Angeles, New York, and Tokyo.
• What is D*face's most famous work?+

  D*Face is known for a number of works; however, no single piece has been identified as his 'most famous'. Comparatively, graffiti artist Banksy's Girl With Balloon first appeared on a stairway to Waterloo Bridge, on London’s South Bank, in 2002. The lifesize figure of an unknown girl, whose heart-shaped balloon is floating away, was repeated at several locations around London. All of the original locations had been painted over by 2007, although one version (on a shop wall) was carefully removed and preserved; it sold for half a million pounds in 2015. In 2017, it was voted Britain’s favourite work of art. In 2018, Banksy's painting Balloon Girl was offered for sale at an auction. Just after it was sold, it began moving down through the frame and passed through a hidden shredder that Banksy had put there secretly. The painting stopped halfway through the shredder.
• What should I know about D*face's prints?+

  When buying a print, it is useful to understand editioning. An edition is a set of identical prints made from the same block or blocks. Editions can be open or limited. The artist decides whether to limit an edition; it is not a technical requirement. A woodblock, if cared for, can produce many prints before wearing out. Thomas Bewick's wood engraving of Newcastle was printed 900,000 times. Each print in a limited edition is typically numbered. The print number and the total edition size are written on the bottom left margin of the print (for example, 7/50). The print's title appears in the centre, and the artist's signature is on the right. These are usually written in pencil. Besides numbered editions, there are also artist's proofs (A/P), trial proofs (T/P), variant editions (V2, V3), variable editions (V/E), and prints marked 'Hors de Commerce' (not for sale). Artist proofs should be identical to the edition prints, and are often limited to 10% of the edition size. Variant editions have colour changes or other alterations. Variable editions have a constant element, but also hand-colouring or other less predictable additions. 'Hors de Commerce' prints are identical to the edition but are not for sale.
• What style or movement did D*face belong to?+

  D*face (born Dean Stockton in 1978^[1]) is associated with street art and pop art. His work incorporates imagery from popular culture, such as comic books, advertising, and cartoons. D*face emerged as a street artist in the late 1990s, pasting stickers and posters in public spaces in London. His early work was influenced by artists like Shepard Fairey and Jamie Reid, who also used appropriation and interventionist tactics. He founded the gallery and shop StolenSpace in 2005, which became a centre for the London street art scene. His style is characterised by bold lines, bright colours, and a somewhat cartoonish aesthetic. The artist often uses irony and humour to critique consumerism, celebrity culture, and other aspects of contemporary society. D*face's work can be seen as a continuation of pop art's interest in mass media and popular imagery, but with a distinctly contemporary, street-based sensibility. He has had solo exhibitions internationally and collaborated with various brands and musicians.
• What techniques or materials did D*face use?+

  D*face is known for a mixed-media approach. Some of his techniques involve layering materials to create textured surfaces. One method includes applying a thick base of oil paint, similar to icing a cake, using a spatula. While still wet, materials like ashes, sand, or coal dust are sprinkled over the surface to darken the paint. Colour is then added as a thin wash. The surface is covered with thick black paint, possibly with more ashes or dust. After this preparation, the image is created. A spatula or similar tool is used to rub the materials into the surface. Contours and features are incised through the paint, sometimes revealing the canvas texture. A thin mixture of paint and turpentine is brushed over the surface, staining the incised lines with a warm glaze. Finally, a fine lettering brush is used to enhance the lines with colours like crimson, yellow ochre, black, and white.
• What was D*face known for?+

  D*face, also known as Dean Stockton, is a British^[1] street artist who engages with public spaces. His work often incorporates themes of consumerism, celebrity, and the darker side of popular culture. D*face's imagery frequently features distorted or decaying versions of familiar cartoon characters and advertising icons. These images are designed to subvert their original meanings and question the values they represent. By placing his art in public locations, D*face aims to reach a wide audience and challenge conventional notions of art and its role in society. His work can be seen as a commentary on contemporary life, prompting viewers to consider the impact of media and marketing on their perceptions and desires. D*face's interventions in the public sphere seek to disrupt the ordinary and encourage critical engagement with the surrounding environment.
• When did D*face live and work?+

  D*face is the professional name of Dean Stockton, a contemporary English street artist. He was born in 1978^[1] and continues to produce art. Stockton grew up in London, and he developed an early interest in graffiti and popular culture. He is best known for his murals and limited-edition prints, often featuring cartoon-like characters and subversive imagery. His work frequently incorporates themes of consumerism, fame, and the darker side of modern life. D*face studied illustration and design, which influenced his artistic style. He opened his own gallery, StolenSpace, in London, which provided a platform for emerging street artists. His work has been exhibited internationally, and he has collaborated with numerous brands and artists. D*face remains an active figure in the street art world, constantly evolving his style and exploring new mediums. He lives and works in London.
• Where can I see D*face's work?+

  D*face, also known as Dean Stockton, has exhibited his work in a variety of locations, from traditional galleries to outdoor urban environments. His initial forays into the art world involved street art, placing stickers and posters in public spaces. Over time, D*face transitioned to gallery exhibitions. He has had solo shows at institutions such as the StolenSpace Gallery in London, which he also founded, and the Jonathan LeVine Gallery in New York. These exhibitions typically feature a range of media, including paintings, sculptures, and prints. Beyond galleries, D*face's murals can be found in numerous cities around the world. These large-scale works often incorporate his signature cartoon-inspired style and address themes of consumerism and popular culture. His work is accessible in urban settings for those who may not typically visit art galleries. Examples of his murals can be seen in London, Los Angeles, and Melbourne.
• Where was D*face from?+

  D*face is from London. He is a British^[1] street artist, also known as Dean Stockton. His work can be seen throughout the city; he is a contemporary of other artists working in London, such as Yinka Shonibare. Shonibare, one of the Young British Artists of the 1990s, was born in Britain to Nigerian parents. He spent part of his childhood in Lagos, Nigeria, before returning to the UK to study art. He now lives and works in East London. Like Shonibare, D*face's work engages with the urban environment, using its surfaces as a canvas for expression. D*face's work often incorporates themes of consumerism, fame, and the darker side of modern life. His style combines pop art influences with a distinctive street aesthetic, using bold lines and a somewhat cartoonish style.
• Who did D*face influence?+

  D*face, born Dean Stockton, is a visual artist whose work engages with themes of consumerism and celebrity. Identifying specific artists who were directly influenced by D*face is difficult. More broadly, D*face's work fits into a larger history of street art and its impact on graphic design and commercial art. The influence of Pop Art figures like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein is clear in D*face's aesthetic. His adoption of a street-art persona helped to legitimise the form in the mainstream art world; this paved the way for other artists working outside traditional gallery settings. D*face's work has, in turn, impacted commercial design. His imagery has been used in advertising and product design, demonstrating how street art can be translated into commercial applications. The cartoonish, graphic style he employs is now widespread in areas such as skateboard design, album art and poster design. This diffusion of stylistic elements is a more general form of influence, rather than a direct impact on specific artists.
• Who influenced D*face?+

  D*face, like many contemporary artists working in the field of street art, owes a debt to the graffiti movement of the late 1970s and 1980s. Artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Futura 2000 are important figures. Basquiat gained attention for his graffiti, later mixing those elements with Abstract Expressionism. His work incorporated motifs from diverse cultures alongside references to both high art and popular culture, such as cartoons. Basquiat also admired Andy Warhol, incorporating consumer brands and news stories into his images, though with a more satirical approach. Futura moved graffiti away from simple lettering, adopting a more painterly style. His work shares common ground with Abstract Expressionists, especially in the use of brushstrokes, drips, and colour. One central figure in Futura’s work was Pointman, an alien-like character. Haring employed graffiti techniques to engage viewers and communicate messages about social issues, using clean lines and sharp images. Kenny Scharf used cartoon-style imagery as a highbrow take on low culture.
• Who was D*face?+

  There is no information about the artist D*face in the provided passages. The passages discuss Banksy, a British^[1] street artist who began creating public art^[1] in the early 1990s. Banksy is known for maintaining their anonymity. Working at night, Banksy spray-paints images on walls and trains, initially in Bristol, UK, where there was already a street-art scene. By the 2000s, Banksy's style became recognisable worldwide. Banksy's artworks often use stencils and combine humour with serious subjects, such as war. Early in their career, Banksy was influenced by the French graffiti artist Blek le Rat. Banksy's identity remains unconfirmed, though some believe they are named Robin Gunningham. In 2020, Banksy painted a picture of a boy playing with a nurse doll as a superhero and donated the auction sale money to the UK's National Health Service (NHS). Recurring subjects in Banksy's art include rats, apes, police officers, royals, and children.