Michaelangelo’s Sistine Chapel painting is exhibited up close at Ross Park Mall
ROSS TOWNSHIP–Viewing the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo’s monumental, 500-year-old frescoes depicting scenes from the Bible is an awe-inspiring joy and a supreme privilege.
By the same token, viewing the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel can be a draining ordeal that one critic likened to “a degrading rugby scrum.” Visitors have to slowly snake through a line for two hours or more to gain entrance to the chapel, and then they have only 15 minutes to absorb its grandeur before they are unceremoniously herded to the exits.
That was pretty much the experience Martin Biallas had when he made a pilgrimage to Vatican City to view one of the most revered works of art in humanity’s history. Amid the jostling, craning of necks and clock-watching, the CEO of Los Angeles-based SEE Global Entertainment found the whole experience to be disappointing.
That planted the seed for “Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition,” a touring exhibit that takes some of the most widely-recognized portions of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, blows them up, and allows visitors to scrutinize them at their leisure. It also brings the frescoes to neighborhood malls, warehouses and other cavernous spaces across North America and Europe, meaning that those interested in pondering the grandeur of Michelangelo’s artistry can leave their passports and Rome tourism guides at home. It recently opened at the space that had been used for the JC Penney store at Ross Park Mall in Ross Township, and it will be there through Jan. 22.
“Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel” is one of several shows criss-crossing the country that brings celebrated works and artists out of museums to a wider public in enveloping, floor-to-ceiling formats. Pittsburgh has recently hosted immersive Frida Kahlo and Vincent Van Gogh exhibits, and the likes of Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali have also been given the immersive treatment. SEE Global Entertainment also has shows on the road dedicated to the street artist Banksy and art from the Louvre in Paris. Right now, SEE Entertainment has Sistine Chapel shows running simultaneously in Pittsburgh, El Paso, Texas, Oklahoma City, and Bordeaux, France, and will soon be opening in Denver and Green Bay, Wisc.
“We’re spreading the art to as many people as possible,” said Eric Leong, senior producer for SEE Global Entertainment. “We’re building an appreciation for it and encouraging people to go see (the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel).”
Leong explained that they are drawn to malls because they already have the infrastructure they need with plenty of parking, and the owners of malls are eager to find new attractions that can draw shoppers, particularly in those tough-to-fill spaces where anchors like JC Penney, Sears and Macy’s once reigned supreme.
“Shopping habits, not just because of COVID, but also because of the internet, have changed the way malls do business,” he said. “Malls had a lot of empty locations before COVID, and they had even more after. So, they’re looking for stuff like us, because we’re a client that can stay for a couple of months and bring people into the mall.”
Leong added, “It’s beneficial for us because we can usually get a large space, which is what is required for the show, at a reasonable rent.”
“Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel” consists of 34 reproductions of images from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, including “The Creation of Adam” and “The Last Judgment.” An audio guide tour is available through mobile devices that offers history and commentary on portion of the paintings. The images in the exhibit are based on photographs that were taken after a restoration of the ceiling.
Legend has it that Michelangelo himself was reluctant to undertake the job. Always apparently seeing himself more as a sculptor than a painter, he came to Rome in 1505 with a plan to work on the tomb of Pope Julius II. When he was offered the Sistine Chapel commission, Michelangelo wanted to beg off, pleading that he was already too busy. Eventually convinced to take the job, he read the Old Testament for inspiration and the ceiling frescoes were finally unveiled in 1512. An addendum happened two decades later, when Pope Paul III wanted to redesign the Sistine Chapel’s altar wall, and Michelangelo responded by creating “The Last Judgment,” which has Jesus Christ separating humanity into the saved and the damned.
“The more people who get to experience the art, the more people are going to be inspired by it,” Leong said.
Tickets to “Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel” are available both in advance and at the door. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Information is available at chapelsistine.com/exhibits/pittsburgh.