Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher OP has launched Sistine Chapel: Revelations, a major immersive exhibition bringing the Vatican masterpiece to the forecourt of Sydney’s St Mary’s Cathedral.
“Thanks to a calculated risk and the work of an extraordinary team, you may grasp what humanity is capable of, without having to fly to Rome,” the archbishop told guests at the launch on 15 May.
“While it may be no substitute for vising the Sistine Chapel itself, this immersive experience you’re about to see 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.
“Tonight, 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.”
Earlier in the day, Bishop Richard Umbers blessed the installation before guests, clergy, and supporters gathered for the launch.
The exhibition recreates the beauty and scale of the Sistine Chapel using immersive projection technology 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.
Creative lead Lawrence Qummou, of the Archdiocese of Sydney, told The Catholic Weekly it was a challenge to choose among the chapel’s many frescos to “tell a single story which was persuasive and compelling and does justice to the art itself, which is visually spectacular and tells its own story.”
“These frescos tell universal and very human stories, so anyone can connect with their beauty and they speak to people in different ways,” he said.
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 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.
Organisers say the Sydney installation stands alongside major international productions such as immersive Van Gogh exhibitions and Japan’s teamLab experiences.
Guests at the launch 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 was amazing,” he said.
The exhibition also arrives during the lead-up to Vivid Sydney, positioning it as one of the city’s major winter cultural attractions.
Tickets for Sistine Chapel: Revelations are available through sistinechapelsydney.com.au.
