The Sistine Chapel is coming to London.
Sort of.
In what is undeniably not quite the same thing as the Bayeux Tapestry coming to the British Museum, but still exciting nonetheless, a lavish new projection-based experience is aiming to channel the majesty of Michelangelo’s stupendous frescoes for a London audience this summer.
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition is essentially an immersive type show in rough line with those Van Gogh and Klimt projection-based exhibitions, that will offer highly detailed, massive scale looks at the 34 frescoes that make up the chapel’s ceiling and collectively tell the story of Genesis. There will also be an area dedicated to his wall fresco ‘The Last Judgement’ (which is behind the altar, not on the ceiling), plus recreations of his sculptures ‘David’, ‘Moses’ and ‘Pietà’ (which are not actually in the Sistine Chapel but are cool).
Some of these immersive art exhibitions are a bit down-at-heel, but this would appear to be an earnest attempt to bring over a work of art – or collection of works of art – that will unquestionably never, ever tour in pretty much the only day that it is physically possible to do that. Tickets are priced £19.50 peak and £17.50 off-peak – so around the same price as the €20 admission for the actual Chapel.
Whether you’re wanting to get a closer look at Michelangelo’s transcendent art, or simply a big fan of projected things, this is as close as you’re going to get without hopping on a flight to Rome.
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition is at 1 America Square (near Tower Bridge), May 18-Sep 6.
The best immersive theatre and shows in London.
Plus: the iconic Flying Scotsman train service is coming back to London.
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