Quay of Mists – Jicé

Analysis of the work Quay of the fogs of Jicé

Jicé's work, measuring 30 x 140 cm, immerses us in an urban atmosphere that is both mysterious and captivating. Jicé succeeds here in creating a scene in which the city takes on an almost ghostly aura, creating a space veiled by mist and mystery.

Composition and format The elongated format of the work, with a height much greater than its width, encourages the viewer to traverse the scene from bottom to top, reinforcing the effect of verticality characteristic of modern urban environments. The buildings, sketched in the background, rise in a misty atmosphere, their blurry and indefinite silhouette accentuating the feeling of distance and disorientation. This vertical composition guides the eye through a scene which seems to be lost in a mysterious depth.

Colors and atmosphere: Blue is the dominant color, available in a wide range of shades, ranging from deep and intense blues to paler “milky” tones. This dominant blue immediately evokes a nocturnal or twilight atmosphere, and reinforces the foggy and humid character of the scene. Blue here is synonymous with coldness, mystery, but also calm. Associated with buildings and water, it embodies the anonymity of big cities, where the atmosphere can sometimes become fluid and elusive. The almost vaporous blur effect which dominates the work is reinforced by the gradient of colors, moving from dark tones at the top of the composition to lighter tones towards the bottom. This gives the impression that light is emerging from the mist, creating subtle depth and a marked visual transition. This play of contrasts between darkness and light envelops the entire scene in an unreal halo, where the shapes are perceptible, but never completely defined.

Texture and material: Jicé 's works , texture plays a crucial role. In Quay of Mists, the surface of the canvas is marked by variations of smooth and shiny areas, like the windows of buildings, contrasting with more grainy and matte surfaces, suggesting worn walls or concrete facades. The superposition of layers of paint and the subtle use of brushstrokes evoke both the solidity of urban infrastructures and their dissolution in a foggy atmosphere. This use of material allows you to play with the light which filters through the mist and is reflected on damp surfaces. These textural effects, combined with the vertical composition, amplify the impression of height, breadth and depth. The viewer is both drawn to the scene and kept at a distance, as if observing the city through a veil of mist, which further reinforces the feeling of strangeness.

Theme and interpretation: The title Quai des Mignes directly refers to a place where mist invades the landscape. It evokes both a poetic scene and a feeling of solitude and contemplation. The city is present, but hidden by mist, a bit like memories that fade or a fleeting scene that is only visible for a moment. This work fits perfectly into the urban and industrial theme dear to Jicé . The mist that invades the quay here becomes a symbol of uncertainty and the passage of time, where human structures seem to dissolve in an elusive atmosphere. The blurred inscriptions visible in the foreground are reminiscent of road markings or urban signs. They contribute to this impression of transitional space, where movement and time are suspended.

Quai des Mignes can be interpreted as a reflection on the transitory nature of the urban environment. The skyscrapers and streets, although fixed and solid, here become moving, changing objects, erased by the climate, the light and the atmosphere. There is a subtle poetry in this work, which resides in the idea that the city, despite its grandeur, is at the mercy of the elements, the mist and the light, which make it both tangible and evanescent.