Sistine Chapel: Revelations
“Sistine Chapel: Revelations” is a major immersive exhibition bringing the Vatican masterpiece to the forecourt of Sydney’s St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney.
The Sistine Chapel is one of humanity’s most recognisable cultural landmarks. The immersive exhibition brings the Chapel to Sydney through a remarkable recreation of this patrimonial treasure, making the art of Michelangelo accessible to all in a state-of-the-art spatial, contemplative experience and landmark art exhibition.
With this exhibition, you can grasp what humanity is capable of, without having to travel to Rome. While it may be no substitute for visiting the Sistine Chapel itself, this immersive experience will allow you to see details and to focus on the works in a way you simply cannot, these days, when you’re being rushed with thousands of others through the Vatican museums. Beauty and transcendence will mesmerise your senses and speak to your heart. Enter the painted stories themselves, and they might reveal themselves to you, anew.
The exhibition recreates the beauty and scale of the Sistine Chapel using immersive projection systems and ultra-high-resolution imagery sourced directly from the Vatican Museums. A 10-metre-high temporary structure has been erected for the experience, which runs until 19 July.
The installation includes an introductory gallery exploring the location, history and symbolism of the Sistine Chapel, followed by the monumental immersive chamber recreating the scale and atmosphere of the Vatican original.
Exhibition producer Jane Dillion said it was a “privilege” to be involved in the project. “We wanted people to have a similar experience to entering the Sistine Chapel, and the introductory series of galleries provides the context and opportunity for contemplation to prepare them for that moment”, she said.
The Sydney installation stands alongside major international productions such as immersive Van Gogh exhibitions and Japan’s teamLab experiences.
Visitors have said the experience was “stunning” and “thought-provoking”. “It makes you look at your own state of life and think about deeper questions”, said one.
Harold Pon, of the Chinese Catholic Community at St Kevin’s parish in Eastwood, has been to the Roman chapel twice. “But the experience here is very unique. We can see much more of the details. I love the way they have brought the story together and the cinematography is amazing”, he said.
Tickets for “Sistine Chapel: Revelations” are available through sistinechapelsydney.com.au.
The exhibition is a collaborative effort between the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and the Vatican Museums.
The Sistine Chapel at Vatican Museums