Arts & Attractions
‘Michelangelo – A Different View’ brings a slice of Rome to New Zealand this summer
Have you always wanted to see the Sistine Chapel?
While a summer holiday in Rome might be off the cards next year, Michelangelo – A Different View is here to fill the gap – transporting a slice of Rome right here to New Zealand.
Until recently, over four million people visited the Sistine Chapel in Rome every year to admire the beautiful ceiling frescoes by Michelangelo – but if you can’t get to Rome, why not bring some of its beauty to you?
For the first time in New Zealand, and showing in Auckland only, this breathtaking exhibition offers unprecedented, up-close access to these world-famous masterpieces.
Under license from the Vatican Museums, this once-in-a-lifetime experience features the most complete and authentic reproduction of Michelangelo’s beautiful ceiling frescoes of the Sistine Chapel to be shown outside the Vatican.
Opening this January at the Aotea Centre, Auckland – standard tickets from $45.00* are on sale now via Ticketmaster.co.nz.
*Please note: You may be charged a per transaction handling fee and delivery fees in addition to the price of tickets.
IMAGES: Past Events Impressions
Michelangelo – A Different View presents a very different picture of Michelangelo’s works – the exhibition showcases photo-mechanically reproduced copies almost in original size, and in a way that invites you to look at them up close and in your own time.
Instead of looking up at the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling to marvel in the beauty of The Genesis, at Michelangelo – A Different View you get to look down at it, offering a whole new experience and perspective.
Approximately 50 pieces, including an almost original size reproduction of The Genesis – which includes the Creation of Man – and a 3.8m x 3.8m version of the Last Judgment are just a few metres away – and with no time constraints, you can spend as long as you wish exploring every detail, experiencing the Florentine master’s interpretation of the history of creation in a way you might never have imagined.
The sculptor and painter spent four years on scaffolding under the vaulted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel painting the most famous frescoes in the world. Prior to this, a simple starry sky had adorned the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Faced by the challenges presented by the structural architecture, he developed revolutionary painting techniques, setting new standards for future generations of painters that are still recognised today.
Usually seen at a height of roughly 70 feet, this intimate experience allows you to get a close-up view of Michelangelo’s technique.
If that isn’t enough the exhibition continues in the foyer, where 14 frescoes complete your visit. The scenes from the life of Jesus and that of Moses painted by Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Cosimo Rosselli provide additional historical background and allow for deeper insight.
Many of the smaller elements of the work which are hardly visible when standing in the chapel, such as the small bronze-coloured medallions, are clear now and add another level of complexity and understanding to the work.
For many, the work will be a religious experience seeing the stories from the Bible brought to life on a grand scale. For others it will be an admiration of the originality and skill displayed by the artist along with an appreciation of the working conditions he faced in creating the works.
John Daly-Peoples – New Zealand Arts Review
Michelangelo – A Different View will transform the Aotea Centre, Auckland from Monday 3 January until Sunday 30 January 2022. Tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.co.nz.
