I’d walk a thousand miles just to be with you, dear reader, but that’s my limit. I won’t walk 500 miles more — or even a foot more — my body will crumble. So, if you ask me to meet you in Vatican City to stare at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which is 5,205 miles away from Memphis, I’d have to decline. But what if I told you that you could still see Michelangelo’s frescoes that adorn Sistine Chapel’s ceiling without having to renew your passport? That’s right, you can see them all at the Renasant Convention Center, thanks to the Los Angeles-based production company SEE Global Entertainment.
“The show came to be because my CEO went to the Sistine Chapel and had a miserable experience,” says Eric Leong, senior producer at SEE Global Entertainment. “I don’t like saying ‘miserable,’ but he felt rushed. He was only in there for 15 minutes before he got pushed out. He was shoulder-to-shoulder with other people, and the whole time guards are yelling to be quiet, no photos ’cause you’re not allowed to take photos there. And he just felt that he didn’t get to enjoy the art the way he wanted.”
So, the company got to making a version of the Sistine Chapel where people could really immerse themselves in the art of Michelangelo, the result being the traveling “Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition,” which features the 34 frescoes reproduced as high-definition photographic prints. Unlike the Vatican, Leong says, viewers can get up close to the prints and spend time witnessing each one individually, and to prevent over-crowding, the exhibit has a limited number of tickets per hour.
“We obviously can’t compete with the Vatican,” Leong says, “but we’re not trying to. We’re trying to give people a unique experience, a unique perspective. … And the ability to have a little bit of Rome or history come to you for the price of what a meal might cost you in Italy, you get to see the next best version of this timeless work of art. And you get to see it in an environment where it’s quieter, and you can actually take your time through it.
“If you haven’t been to the Chapel before, you’re gonna hopefully get inspired to go see the real thing,” Leong adds. “And you’re gonna learn about Michelangelo, you’re gonna learn new facts, and I always say if people have more time to spend being inspired by art, they’re gonna do better things, then the world’s gonna be better. It sounds extremely cheesy, but I believe it is true.”
Guests should expect to spend approximately 60 to 90 minutes in the exhibition. An audio guide, included in admission, will be available to download to accompany your viewing. All ages are welcome, and tickets can be purchased at chapelsistine.com/exhibits/memphis.
“Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition,” Renasant Convention Center, on display through June 10, $22.50/adults, $19/children, $21.50/senior citizens, students, and military.