Old Steel – Jicé

Analysis of the work Old Steel by Jicé

Jicé 's work Old Steel is part of a resolutely abstract approach while remaining anchored in the artist's characteristic industrial aesthetic. The canvas, with its imposing dimensions (100 x 100 cm), explores the materiality of worn metal, the textures of rust, and rivets which evoke heavy industry. With a refined visual language rich in symbolism, Jicé offers us a reflection on time, degradation and the persistence of manufactured elements.

Composition and structure: The composition of Old Steel is dominated by dark rectangular blocks which overlap, evoking steel plates or metallic structural elements. These shapes are reminiscent of industrial architecture. The placement of the shapes, vertical and angular, creates a feeling of stability and heaviness, emphasizing the rigidity and solidity of the metallic materials. In the center of the canvas, a section of riveted metal breaks away. The rivets, these attachment points which fix the plates together, add a tactile dimension to the composition, creating visual appeal. The contrast between the fairly dark metallic shapes and the brighter background accentuates a feeling of heaviness. The background is lighter, it creates a dynamic between the solid material and the empty spaces. Jicé thus manages to balance geometric abstraction with concrete elements that recall the manufactured nature of the pattern.

Colors and textures: The color palette is dominated by dark shades: black, gray, brown and dark green. These colors evoke oxidized steel and surfaces patinated by time. Touches of orange and rust punctuate the composition, recalling the corrosion that inevitably affects metal exposed to the elements. These warm touches bring vitality to the painting and contrast with the cold tones of the steel. The texture of the canvas is a key element of the work. Jicé uses mixed techniques here, with thicknesses of paint and reliefs. This textural richness reinforces the idea of ​​materiality and wear, evoking the roughness of metal and the way in which time alters the surface of objects. You can almost physically feel the surface of the old, degraded metal.

Symbolism and interpretation: Old Steel is a work that explores the relationship between permanence and decay. Metal, often seen as a symbol of strength and durability, is represented here in a state of transformation, altered by time and exposure to the elements. The rivets, which hold the plates together, symbolize the effort to shape the plates. The whole thing suggests the inevitability of degradation. The choice of abstraction allows Jicé to transcend the simple representation of industry to explore more universal themes, such as temporality and materiality. Metal, although it seems durable, always eventually gives in to rust and wear, just as human constructions eventually fade with time.