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D*Face is a well-known street artist famous for his bold and striking murals inspired by pop art. His artworks can be found in different cities worldwide, such as London, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.
D*Face’s distinctive style is marked by vibrancy and graphics, where he combines bold lines and striking colours to create visually stunning pieces. He is known for his innovative use of pop art and cultural icons, which he often portrays with a twist. His iconic pop art style often incorporates themes of decay and death, serving as a poignant reminder of the fleeting nature of life. However, his intention is not to evoke sadness or despair. Instead, he aims to celebrate the beauty and complexity of existence, both in its highs and lows. Through his art, he intends to provoke thought and stir emotions in his audience, believing art should always elicit a reaction.
“Whoever said that size doesn’t matter? As an artist working in a world of image saturation through mass media, it’s always been important for me to make art that stands out from the crowd – nothing does that quite like a mural. From Los Angeles to Tokyo, every wall I’ve ever encountered presented a unique challenge, its own concrete personality. There’s nothing quite like stepping back from a wall you’ve had to do battle with for a week and seeing your vision come to life. They’re big, they’re bold and their downright badass – not to mention a nice way to get out of town…”
D*Face
In the following editorial, we will explore the ten best, big, bold and badass D*Face murals from across the globe.
1.
Ostend 2020
D*Face painted ‘Mermaids Tale’ in Zelliklaan, inspired by the coastal city of Ostend. The mural was a real showstopper and was part of The Crystal Ship’s street art exhibition. The 5th-anniversary edition of the exhibition was planned for April but was unfortunately cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns regarding public safety. However, in the summer months, the organisers of ‘The Crystal Ship’ invited D*Face, along with two other artists, to create art outside the city centre to ensure the safety of visitors. D*Face’s mural was one of the festival’s highlights and was a testament to his unique style and artistic vision.
D*Face. Photo Credit Jules Cesure
2.
Las Vegas 2017
D*Face joined other Internationally known artists, Shepard Fairey and Faile, at the Plaza Hotel & Casino curated by JustKids as part of the Life is Beautiful Festival’s efforts to infuse art into Downtown Las Vegas. D*Face’s mural, titled “Behind Closed Doors”, was his fifth in Downtown Las Vegas and his largest to date. D*Face explained that he became fascinated with the comings and goings of hotels due to his frequent travels. He added, “I wanted to play and use the architecture to present a mural to the public that is both a reference to and, I hope, an homage to hotel life.“
D*FACE, Downtown Las Vegas Photo Credit JustKids
3.
Paris 2018
D*Face painted a vibrant mural for the ongoing ‘Street Art 13’ project in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. The project has brought many murals into the district, which has become a haven for street art by big names such as Obey and Seth. This is D*Face’s second mural for the project, entitled ‘Turncoat’, which features a single woman looking seductively over her left shoulder with rebellious hair and vibrant red lips. The mural is almost opposite his first mural in Paris, and both aim to create a dialogue between them.
Image copyright Louis Jensen, Founder of Tupman Brothers and Spraying Bricks
4.
Gothenburg 2021
D*Face helped Artscape celebrate its 400th anniversary by creating twin murals in Gothenburg. One of the murals, ‘Embrace for Landing,’ was painted by D*Face at Landvetter Airport. The second wall included silhouettes of the artist with his daughters holding the D-Dog balloon and the rest of the crew. The twin murals celebrated the 400th anniversary of Borås and Gothenburg, as Landvetter airport serves both cities.
“…With this mural I wanted to incorporate the architecture of the building by painting and extending the grid of the glass stairwell onto the wall and graphically representing the reflections found on the glass. Aiming for the mural to appear not as ‘paint on a surface’ but as a considered part of the building itself, as if it had existed all along… or didn’t exist at all and was merely reflected in the glass of the building. A Trompe-l’œil of sorts. I played with this idea further on the second wall by including myself, my daughters (holding the D*Dog) and my crew as silhouettes in our ‘natural’ poses!? I really enjoyed painting this, even if the additional work to paint the ‘reflections’ made it 3 times the amount of painting! ”
D*Face
As always, D*Face captures a dramatic image, and the two figures can be seen embracing, but as always, not everything is as it seems! The imagination is ignited, and a different story depends on the viewer!
D*Face. Image Copyright Fredrik Åkerberg
5.
Caught Between The Devil and The Deep Blue
St Thomas 2023
D*Face painted ‘Caught Between The Devil and The Deep Blue’ for Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans, an ARTivism program that promoted ocean conservation through street art. The mural depicted a mermaid trapped within a glass enclosure, unable to escape and protect oceans from further destruction. The piece aimed to raise awareness about the conflict imposed upon our oceans due to overfishing and environmental exploitation, urging people to take positive action to maintain healthy oceans worldwide.
“…To me, the mythical character of the mermaid felt like the perfect allegory for an ocean attempting to fight back – a beautiful seabound temptress luring weary sailors to their watery graves. In this instance, however, she has not only been harpooned and bound but trapped within a glass enclosure, unable to escape and protect the oceans from further destruction. She is the reminder that against the demands of eight billion humans, there can be no capable defence. The choice then, “Between The Devil and The Deep Blue,” falls to us. Do we continue our pattern of unsustainability, exploiting a defenceless ocean until it runs dry? Or do we choose to take positive action by helping to support viable options for maintaining healthy oceans worldwide? The power to change is within our hands.”
D*Face
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D*Face, Sea Walls: Artists for oceans, St. Thomas 2023. Image © Yoshi Yanagita
6.
Los Angeles 2011
D*Face paid homage to Roy Lichtenstein’s famous painting “In the Car” (1963) through his artwork “Going Nowhere Fast” (2011) painted on the side of Corey Helford Gallery. In D*Face’s interpretation, the famous image incorporates the faces from Tony Abruzzo’s comic artwork and also retains the lady’s orange coat colour to stay faithful to the original comic drawing. D*Face also added “go faster” lines and vibrant colours reminiscent of Lichtenstein’s style. Notably, the car has been updated to a more modern design.
The mural, located in Culver City, Los Angeles, blends comic, pop, and street art elements and features the artist’s signature “Winged Bomb” design. The title was inspired by an old-school report and embodies the drive-thru, 16-lane superhighway American culture.
D*Face – Going Nowhere Fast Street Art. Image copyright D*Face
Find “Going Nowhere Fast” screenprint in store here
7.
Miami 2014
D*Face was one of the many talented artists who participated in the RAW project with Suck Face, which aimed to bring colour and inspiration to Jose de Diego Middle School during Art Basel Miami 2014. The school, which had no funding for art education, was in desperate need of a creative makeover, and that’s where DFace and other street artists from around the world came in.
D*face, Suck Face , @Wynwoodmaps
8.
Las Vegas 2015
D*Face was one of the artists who participated in The Unexpected Festival, held in September 2015 and organized by 64.6 Downtown and curated by JustKids. Inspired by the Western tales of “Bad Lands,” D*Face transformed the historic buildings in downtown Fort Smith into a shooting scene and his ‘go faster’ lines depicting the bullets fired. The festival rejuvenated the downtown area and awakened the town’s rich history of legendary heroes and outlaws. D*Face also painted a second mural, ‘Trail of Tear’.
DFace. Photo copyright Justkids
9.
Guilty Pleasures
London 2013
D*Face ‘Guilty Pleasures’ was a risqué piece from his ‘New World Disorder’ show and was painted in Spitalfields, London. When asked about the piece by Spraying Bricks, D*Face explained that the area where he created the mural has always been synonymous with prostitution, with a park used as a knocking shop and brothel located nearby! To capture the essence of the location, he painted a woman with her head tilted back and mouth open, symbolising the guilt and pleasure associated with such an environment. The bold and striking mural perfectly captures D*Face’s signature style combining elements of pop art.
D*Face. Photo copyright D*Face
10.
Going Everywhere Fast
Los Angeles 2011
In 2011, D*Face created ‘Going Nowhere Fast’ on the side of Corey Helford Gallery. However, fate had other plans for the artwork. Just a year later, a new building was constructed just 6 inches in front of the mural, effectively cocooning it and rendering it forever hidden from view. Despite the loss of the original artwork, D*Face didn’t lose hope. In 2014, the artist got the opportunity to paint the adjoining building with a sister mural titled “Going Everywhere Fast.” This artwork continued the original theme but with a new perspective. While it is a shame that the first part of the series is hidden from view, D*Face reclaimed the space, turning it into a canvas for their artistic expression.
D*Face. Photo copyright D*Face
D*Face is widely regarded as one of the most influential street artists of his generation, with his artistic vision and creative style reinvigorating the street art movement in London and beyond. His art continues to evolve and push boundaries, both in the street and gallery, inspiring audiences worldwide.
