The Sistine Chapel: Up close and personal

It’s not every day Americans have the opportunity to visit the Sistine Chapel without leaving the country. Since September 1, however, the instillation of a new rotational art exhibit called “Up Close: Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel,” has made that possible.

Sponsored by popular shopping company Westfield Corporation, the exhibition takes Michelangelo’s famous frescos out of the Sistine Chapel and puts them directly in the public eye. Traveling to around 30 different malls and town centers in the United States, “Up Close” features 34 replicas of the paintings, which were completed by Michelangelo in 1512. The replicas are printed on fabric panels and made almost perfectly to scale, then placed in roughly the same position as the originals.

After starting in New York, the instillation moves to six other cities in the States, including Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, Chicago and Annapolis.

“There are few works of art as beloved as Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel frescoes. We are thrilled to showcase this beautiful exhibit in our centers across the country,” said Scott Sanders, Westfield’s Creative Head of Global Entertainment in a press release. “Westfield is tremendously excited to bring this stunning display to the U.S. and to give many people across the country a once in a lifetime chance to view these works for themselves.”

Through the accessibility and intimacy of the exhibit, visitors can explore Michelangelo’s art in a way that would be impossible to when visiting the Sistine Chapel in person. Here they can see the intricate shading and details of the frescos which are often missed when viewing the paintings from so far away.

“We are just offering a different perspective and a different experience of seeing the art,” Eric Leong, producer for Special Exhibitions, told The Orange County Register. “It’s not 60 feet away [like it is in the Sistine Chapel]. You can take your time, study, and take photos if you want. You are not going to have a chance to see the art this close.”

 

–\Becca Most