Manhattan transfer – Jicé

Review of the work “Manhattan Transfert” by Jicé

In Manhattan Transfert , Jicé delivers a striking vision of the American city, capturing the very essence of Manhattan through a monumental canvas measuring 162 x 130 cm. The grandeur of the work is not only physical, but also visual and emotional. Faithful to his aesthetic, Jicé explores here the imposing structures of the buildings, the rainy streets and the reflections that unfold on the asphalt. It immerses us in a city in perpetual movement, where man is crushed by the monumentality of the architecture that surrounds him.

The atmosphere of the work is highlighted by metallic grays, with touches of diffused light that seem to pierce through the mist, evoking a rainy Manhattan in the early morning or dusk. This play of light accentuates the ambiguity of the captured moment, a moment frozen in time. The immensity of the urban structures, enhanced by bold vertical lines, gives a sensation of vertigo and power, while the wet ground, covered in reflections, softens the atmosphere somewhat by adding fluidity.

The use of the pedestrian crossing, placed diagonally, is a central element of the composition. It guides the viewer's gaze through the scene, introducing a subtle dynamic that contrasts with the imposing mass of the buildings. This choice of plunging perspective, typical of Jicé's works, gives the scene a dizzying dimension, as if the viewer was suspended above the street, witnessing the bustle of the city. This point of view recalls the angles related to cinema that the artist likes,

The touches of color, in particular the small red and orange glows, punctuate the dominant gray of the canvas, bringing subtle points of warmth in the middle of this urban coldness. These bursts of color also add a narrative dimension, although these are barely noticeable in the work.

Manhattan Transfert testifies to the artist's mastery in the art of sublimating urban landscapes. He breathes into it an indefinable poetry. The artist does not just represent the city: he captures its soul. Through this very large canvas, he makes us feel the overwhelming power of skyscrapers while inviting us to observe the details, to discover the hidden beauty of concrete, the reflections on the asphalt, and the light that shines slips through the gaps in buildings.