I’m putting my European report on hold this week (kind of away from Europe, anyway) to let people in Southern California know they don’t have to make a trip to Rome to see “Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition”. Residents and visitors have the chance to study up close to the famed artworks at Christ Cathedral (formerly the famous Crystal Cathedral) in Garden Grove.
The traveling exhibit will run through January and features 34 of Michelangelo’s famous works recounting events from the Old and New Testaments -- including the iconic “The Creation of Man,” in which God and Adam are reaching towards each other with fingers nearly touching.
I am not saying the exhibit is going to replace an actual visit to see the real Michelangelo’s renowned Sistine Chapel frescoes, but it certainly offers different perspectives. First, not all people can actually make the long trip to Vatican City, so this is a great alternative. Second, it provides an opportunity for those who have made the trip to study the works in closer detail. I remember when we went inside the impressive Sistine Chapel and I was so impressed with the beautiful frescos but still it was quite crowded and some of the works were so high on the ceiling, I could barely see them let alone study them. The noise of people “shushing” to keep others from whispering was distracting so I appreciated this time to be able to really study the artwork away from all the hustle and bustle of the Sistine Chapel (minus the noise from my audio guide, which I found very interesting and helpful).
The venue is interesting in itself as anyone who lived in Southern California will remember the iconic towering glass megachurch, Crystal Cathedral. It had served for many years as the backdrop of the “Hour of Power,” which was once the most popular religious television program in the nation staring Rev. Robert H. Schuller. The Catholic Church bought the building in 2011 and renamed it Christ Cathedral. They then spent two years transforming the space into an extremely interesting and complex space. Even without the exhibit, it is an interesting place to visit.
So, a little background on the process of the “new frescos”: The frescos have been digitally emblazoned on fabric panels to within centimeters of their actual size. They are displayed in the exhibit at the Cathedral in roughly the same position as they are in the Sistine Chapel, either as walls or above as a ceiling – except the ceiling is not as high as in the Sistine, obviously.
The exhibit has been displayed in museums, cathedrals and other venues throughout the United States, Europe and South America – ironically enough, it was on display in Wroclaw, Poland while we were there a few weeks ago although we had no idea at the time! It almost makes me feel the like exhibit is following us, which is kind of fun. You can take your time, study, and take photos if you want as well (no photos are allowed in the Sistine Chapel so take them at the exhibit while you can).
The panels next to each piece of art and the audio guides also provide more history behind Michelangelo, his commission by the Pope, techniques he used, etc. Much of the information I had forgotten so it served as a great history refresher.
Michelangelo completed the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling frescos on Nov. 1, 1512, culminating more than four years of work. In 1536, Michelangelo was summoned by Pope Julius II to return to the chapel to redesign the alter wall. He then spent five more years creating the “Last Judgement.” This was my favorite piece to study. There is so much detail in this work and being able to see it so close is truly amazing – the individual expressions on the various faces (there are 390 individual figures) is remarkable!
I really enjoyed this short art history field trip and would like to go back to the Sistine Chapel again as I’m sure I will find a new way of observing the art. I think those who have never been before will be inspired to visit once they see this exhibit too. In the meantime, I will be back talking about places to visit in Estonia and Poland next week.
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