Death Spray x Alpinestars = Anatomy

“I wanted to create the next generation of Dave Aldana’s suit,” describes Death Spray Custom’s David Gwyther. “He raced in black leathers with a white skeleton print. The Anatomy Suit is part sculpture, part puzzle and all educational.”

Photos: Neil Bridge

Designed by David, the suit was then hand made at Alpinestars’ facility in Northern Italy. Using custom painting lore as a brand mythology, Death Spray draws from motorsports history to subvert modern marketing and create fine art.

“I guess the conflict of protection and the human body is never more apparent than in motorcycles and motor sport,” the artist continues. “Obviously, Alpinestars understands that dichotomy more than anyone. Combining that knowledge with their technical and creative expertise made for a unique and compelling project.”

The suit was built using a mix of cow and kangaroo leathers, selected to mimic the texture, colors and effects of traditional anatomical models. A red mesh liner emphasizes the effect. The suit will debut in person this weekend at the Southsiders MC “Wheels and Waves” show in Biarritz.

“Human anatomy is a theme I have much fascination with and is something I’ve often visited in previous works,” David continues. “The anatomy model is a visual motif that, even from an early age, was intriguing as a timeless piece of art in itself. We see it referenced culturally in many ways from Hirst to Kaws, though my inspiration was an artist from a different field: AMA racing. It’s a very simple idea, the best often appear that way.”