What to know as 'Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition' immerses OKC in iconic art

In one of the most recognizable and reproduced images ever created, a reclining Adam reaches out for the extended arm of his hovering God, who is enveloped in a crimson robe and surrounded by celestial figures.

The outstretched index fingers of God and man almost — but don't quite — touch.

Visitors can literally stand in that famous gap — or copy Adam's familiar pose — in "Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition," a traveling attraction presenting some of the Western world's most iconic artwork in a way it's rarely been seen before:

At eye level.

"The whole idea was to bring this art and bring it down from the ceiling, let you study it up close, at your own pace, and really take your time," said Eric Leong, senior producer for SEE Global Entertainment, which produces the touring exhibit.

"We give you an audio guide, we give you signage to tell you what you're looking at, who you're looking at, Michelangelo's story. (We) really give you an immersive experience in his world."

"Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition" is on view through Jan. 3 in downtown Oklahoma City, where it's showcased in the new Film Row venue Sailor & The Dock. Here's what you need to know.

1. What can people expect to see in 'Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition?'

As the title suggests, the exhibit focuses on Michelangelo Buonarroti’s famed frescoes that adorn the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, as well as his dramatic "The Last Judgment" fresco on the west wall of the chapel, which is located in Vatican City in Rome.

The exhibit showcases 34 towering, high-quality photographic prints of the frescoes, taken after the artworks underwent an extensive restoration in the 1980s and '90s.

"They take up the whole Sistine Chapel ceiling, but in the original chapel, that art is 60 feet above you. Here, we bring it down so that you can see it up close and personal within inches," Leong said.

Martin Biallas, CEO of Los Angeles-based SEE Global Entertainment, was inspired to produce a traveling exhibit that would bring people face to face with Michelangelo’s treasured works after his own trip to Rome.

"To be perfectly honest, he had a less-than-great visit: He felt rushed through the exhibit, he didn't know what he was looking at, he heard people shouting to be quiet, no photographs, no time. It wasn't the environment he thought that you should be experiencing this art and being able to reflect upon it," Leong said.

"With the subject matter ... it appeals to everyone: art lovers, history lovers and the faithful."

2. What is the significance of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel paintings?

Named for Pope Sixtus IV, who had it built between 1473 and 1481, the Sistine Chapel's interior walls and ceiling are adorned with frescos created by some of the great Italian Renaissance artists, including Perugino, Pinturicchio, Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Cosimo Rosselli and, of course, Michelangelo.

Although his ceiling frescoes have become the landmark's most famous feature, Michelangelo, whose full name was Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, didn't want to take on the project. He viewed himself as a sculptor rather than a painter, having traveled to Rome in 1505 to accept the commission to create the marble tomb of Pope Julius II.

The artist reluctantly took Pope Julius II's commission to paint the chapel's ceiling, working from 1508 to 1512 to fill the vast overhead space with scenes of God's creation of the universe, Adam and Eve; Noah and the flood; several Old Testament prophets; many of Jesus' ancestors and more.

Michelangelo returned to paint "The Last Judgment" fresco on the west wall of the chapel between 1536 and 1541, at the behest of Pope Paul III.

The nudity depicted in the paintings was controversial, so in 1564, Daniele da Volterra, known to history as “The Britches Painter,” was hired to paint clothes on several of the figures. Much of this overpainting was removed during the restoration of the frescoes in the 1990s.

One of the Vatican's most popular tourist draws, millions of people visit the Sistine Chapel every year. Built to be the pope’s personal chapel, it continues in that capacity, and it serves as the site where the College of Cardinals meets to elect new popes.

"If you've been to the Sistine Chapel, I guarantee you'll see something new, something different than what you did before (in the exhibit), just because you can't get this view and you can't get the time. If you haven't been to the Sistine Chapel, we hope it inspires you to actually go see the building one day ... but not everyone can travel the world," Leong said.

"For anyone who wants to take their time and properly immerse themselves ... this is the show for them."

3. How does the 'Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition' provide an immersive experience?

Launched in 2015, "Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition" provides an immersive experience, but it predates the current hot trend of high-tech projection-based exhibits like the "Immersive Van Gogh" attraction coming Dec. 14-Jan. 23 to the OKC Convention Center. 

Instead of using projections, "Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition" immerses visitors by bringing the iconic artworks to their eye level in the form of massive high-quality photos.

"Thirty-three of them are true-to-life size as they are in the Sistine Chapel. 'The Last Judgement,' unfortunately, is 40 feet tall, and we rarely get a chance to display that at full size — although we do have it. But here we have one that's a smaller version ... reproduced at 13 feet tall. So, that one's about quarter-sized," Leong said.

"They can take an hour, an hour and a half, two hours if they want — as long as they don't keep us past closing — to enjoy the art. They can also go on the audio guide, which comes with the ticket, that not only gives you the context of what you're seeing, but also fills you in on Michelangelo's back story, his whole process, details to look for in the art. It's our way of sharing this art."

Although the large-scale photos are largely organized to emulate how the frescoes are laid out in the Sistine Chapel, there's one notable exception to that rule.

"The one everyone knows, 'The Creation of Adam' ... we have it sort of in the center. We tend to take it out of the order of things, just because people like to go and take their own little selfies with that one," Leong said.

The company has 10 installations of the traveling exhibition now showing worldwide: five in the United States, one in Canada, one in Australia, one in China and two in Europe.

"We want to go to as many of the major cities that we can; Oklahoma City has been on our list for a long time. It's just been a matter of finding the right place, and we're glad we did. We think this area that we're in is a really up-and-coming area ... and I just think it's really cool to find these old spaces that are being reclaimed and repurposed for new things such as art, music, movies. ... We're happy to be a part of that," Leong said.

4. What is the plan for the OKC venue Sailor & The Dock after the Sistine Chapel exhibit?

The OKC run for "Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition" is the introductory event for Sailor & The Dock, a planned space for entrepreneurs and artists. Boasting a nautical theme that will eventually include a reclaimed sailboat for a central bar and common area, the venue will feature retail spaces, micro stores, a workshop, event space and artist incubator.

"Just as a dock is a destination where sailors and explorers meet to go on a journey, Sailor & The Dock is where local creators, entrepreneurs, artists and promoters of the community join to sail off on their journey to fulfill what's most important to them," said Hamid Pezeshkian, a member of the team managing Sailor & The Dock.

"It's built on the core values of community, creativity — which encompasses arts and entrepreneurship — sustainability and wellness to bring inspiring projects to life."

Alongside the exhibit, the venue is hosting its West Village Holiday Popup Market over two weekends Dec. 9-18. For more information, go to https://sailorandthedock.com.

5. When and how can you see 'Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition?'

"Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition" will be on view through Jan. 3 at Sailor & The Dock, 617 W Sheridan Ave. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays, with the last admission at 7 p.m.

The exhibit will be closed Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, with the last ticket entry on Christmas Eve from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Visitors are advised to allot 60 to 90 minutes to explore the exhibit.

Tickets start at $22.50 for adults, $19 for youths and $21.50 for seniors 65 and older, military service members and students. For tickets and information, go to https://chapelsistine.com/exhibits/oklahoma-city.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC gets an up close look at iconic Sistine Chapel in immersive show