IS2 094 Michele Manning 01 Michele Manning

The artwork presents a fragmented urban landscape rendered in pastel, dominated by a monumental clock tower and a towering skyscraper. The composition is not arranged for straightforward representation; instead, it emphasizes texture and color over precise detail.
Here we see the clock tower positioned prominently on the left side of the frame. Its ornate detailing – the gilded finial, carved foliage, and Roman numerals – is rendered with visible strokes that suggest both grandeur and a degree of decay. The hands of the clock are clearly visible, indicating a specific time, though its significance remains ambiguous. It could be interpreted as a marker of routine, or perhaps a symbol of the relentless passage of time within an urban environment.
To the right of the clock tower rises a sharply angled skyscraper, its facade composed of numerous small rectangular shapes that create a textured surface. The building’s color is a warm coral-pink, which contrasts with the cooler blues and greens elsewhere in the composition. This unusual coloration lends the structure an almost surreal quality, distancing it from straightforward realism. It suggests a focus on the visual impact rather than accurate depiction.
A band of dark green foliage occupies the lower portion of the painting, partially obscuring the base of the clock tower and acting as a visual barrier between the foreground and background elements. The sky is rendered in varying shades of blue, with short, energetic strokes that convey movement and atmosphere.
The artist’s choice to depict these disparate elements – a traditional clock tower and a modern skyscraper – suggests a dialogue between past and present, tradition and progress. The fragmented nature of the composition, achieved through loose pastel application, contributes to a sense of disorientation or fleeting perception. It is as if the viewer is experiencing this urban scene in a moment of rapid transit, capturing only fragments of its essence. The overall effect is one of melancholic beauty, hinting at the complexities and contradictions inherent within modern city life.