Gauntlet Gallery — D*Face Print Index
Cli-Che
Work Summary & Collector Notes
"Cli-Che" is a 2007 Ocontemporary release in a signed edition of 150, split between the "Eyecons" show opening and Black Rat Press. A six-colour screenprint with two varnishes and hand-applied gold leaf on 400gsm Somerset, its 68 x 98 cm sheet reworks the Che Guevara icon through D*Face's cynical lens.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Description : Signed edition of 150. The saved release record describes: signed. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The hand-applied gold leaf and dual varnishes make each impression labour-intensive and subtly unique, elevating it above a standard screenprint. Its pun-title reframes the most reproduced revolutionary portrait as a marketing cliché, a sharp comment on how radical imagery gets commodified. That critique is central to D*Face's Pop-consumerist project.
Collector Perspective
The edition of 150 was distributed across two venues, so provenance can vary; the gold-leaf application is delicate and its intact condition materially affects desirability. Six colours plus two varnishes reward close inspection for surface finish and registration. Collectors should confirm the gold leaf is present and unlifted, alongside the signature.
Historical Context
The Alberto Korda Che portrait is arguably the most reproduced photograph in history, and D*Face's "Eyecons" show interrogated exactly this kind of hollowed-out icon. Ocontemporary and Black Rat Press jointly circulated the edition in 2007. Gold-leaf embellishment ties the work to a tradition of icon-painting the title mockingly invokes.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2007
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Screen Print; catalog dimensions 98 x 68 cm; Medium : 6 colour screenprint with 2 varnishes and hand applied gold leaf on 400gsm somerset satin white paper.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Description : Signed edition of 150.
- Signature and marks
- The saved release record describes: signed. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Documented History and Meaning
History note: This page treats D*Face's broader career as background context, not proof that this specific edition belongs to any single exhibition or event. Release-level facts here come from a saved secondary catalog record.
Meaning / interpretation: No per-work artist statement is recorded for this edition. Any thematic reading should be treated as interpretation of the imagery, not a documented statement of the artist's intent. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2007 and attributes the edition to Ocontemporary.
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- Original packaging or presentation was not documented in the release sources reviewed.
- Authentication note
- Compare the support, dimensions, edition number, and signature against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet Gallery does not authenticate works purchased from third parties.
- Provenance note
- Edition origin is attributed in the saved record to Ocontemporary. That does not establish the ownership history of an individual copy: retain the original invoice, reseller or gallery paperwork, labels, correspondence, and condition photographs.
Sources and Verification
Verification status: Secondary catalog snapshot; artist-level context added
- Saved release record — Art Collectorz · secondary catalog snapshot · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Starting record for title, year, edition, dimensions, medium, and release description. Primary confirmation against the original release page remains pending.
- D*Face — official site — D*Face studio · primary artist source · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Official artist site; career context, not an individual-edition record.
- D*Face — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
- D*Face (Q5203218) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.
FAQ
What is the pun in the title?
"Cli-Che" merges "cliché" with "Che," critiquing how the Che Guevara portrait became a commodified marketing image.
Does it include gold leaf?
Yes, it features hand-applied gold leaf plus two varnishes over a six-colour screenprint.
Where was it sold?
100 impressions were available from Ocontemporary at the "Eyecons" opening and 50 from Black Rat Press.
