Artist Felipe Pantone’s biggest mural yet dazzles the Jersey City skyline
Photos courtesy of FPStudio
Renowned Argentinian artist Felipe Pantone’s largest installation yet brings a burst of vibrancy to Jersey City. “OPTICHROMIE for Jersey City” covers 25 floors of a residential building in Journal Square with a dazzling digitized-style gradient mural of geometric patterns. The towering artwork contrasts the darker tones seen in the background of the Manhattan skyline and the mural’s bold colors.
The mural was commissioned by Journal Square Urby, a rental project with 317 apartments at 532 Summit Avenue developed by David Barry and expected to open this summer.
Encompassing 46,000 square feet, “OPTICHROMIE for Jersey City” is a continuation of Pantone’s contemporary style, which aims to create a sense of vibration in relation to the viewer’s perspective. Pantone uses a variety of computer programs to translate his designs into murals, paintings, and sculptures.
The piece took Pantone and his team 25 days to create the piece, braving rain, cold, two earthquakes, and the April 8 solar eclipse, according to the artist. The team used two swing stages, each nine meters long, to finish the mural on the 70-meter by 20-meter exterior wall. Using more than 170 gallons of paint, Pantone and the team dipped their rollers and painted the wall one design at a time, then used airless sprayers for the gradients, according to designboom.
In an Instagram post, Pantone said the design was conceived even before the building’s construction. He also said he would be hesitant to accept another commission due to the physical requirements of the giant mural.
“It’s been an ultra-physical effort (I still have sore muscles) but also mental, for both me and my team. Enduring so many days in front of the same project with all the challenges it entails has been tough, and I’m very proud of them,” Pantone wrote on Instagram. “Now that I see it finished, I think it’s totally worth it. You never regret being brave!”
The mural is part of the Jersey City Mural Arts Program, a community-driven initiative to revitalize public spaces with vibrant, colorful murals. The program fosters collaboration between local artists, residents, and businesses to create artworks that mirror the diversity and spirit of Jersey City.
This video shows the scale of the monumental work:
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