D*Face’s ‘Going Everywhere Fast’ Gives Culver City a Rockabilly Edge

by SERGIO GARCIA

D*Face is a London based street artist that has made an impression through his use of recurring punk, pop, and comic book imagery. As a teenager, D*Face created hand-drawn stickers to post around his hometown. Soon after, he began to expand his arsenal to include posters, stencils, and spray paint. Now, D*Face is the owner and curator of The Outside Institute, an art gallery in London that focuses on street art. Despite this, D*Face continues to embellish buildings with his art. And fortunately, Los Angeles hosts a few of his murals. 

The Culver City neighborhood of Los Angeles is known for its many art galleries and artistic appeal, so it's only fitting that D*Face has a mural in this community. In Going Everywhere Fast, D*Face uses two characters that reoccur often in his work. There's a man on a cruiser-type motorcycle. He's wearing a black, leather motorcycle jacket, gloves, glasses, and has greased hair that invokes the ghost of James Dean. However, this isn’t a Hollywood star. His pale, green skin and sunken face inform us that he is a zombified, rockabilly punk. Preparing for their ride, a blonde woman holds on to him intimately, making the nature of their relationship evident. Like the man, however, she is no regular woman. Out of her head sprout two small wings. And even with this abnormality, she still maintains the appearance of a blonde, Hollywood bombshell. While it’s easy to miss, the woman also sheds a single tear. Is she in a state of melancholy thinking about what she is leaving behind? Or has something devastating just happened to her? Whatever the case may be, it’s clear that these two have stories to tell, and that their ride is just beginning.

This piece by D*Face fascinates me personally due to its heavy rockabilly, punk, and comic book influences. The rockabilly style of both of these characters appeals to a specific subculture and yet can be universally appreciated. At the same time, the style of his art is reminiscent of contemporary graphic novels while still retaining discernible punk influences. D*Face is incredibly skilled at taking such an eclectic mix of various subcultures and adding a Hollywood-type spin in order to create a mural that evidently belongs in Los Angeles.

Where can I find this street art?

Going Everywhere Fast is located on Washington Boulevard and McManus Avenue. This mural is on the side of what appears to be apartment buildings. A notable place of interest nearby is Pinches Tacos.