Bringing the Heavens Down
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel marks its first stop in Southeast Asia at Estancia Mall.
Written by Rommielle T. Morada
Photos courtesy of ATIN Global Inc. and SEE Global Entertainment Inc.
June 28, 2023
Embark on an enlightening educational journey at Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel : The Exhibition
After successful exhibits in New York, Shanghai, Melbourne, and so much more, Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition finds itself on the second floor, North Wing of the Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Pasig City, marking its first exhibit in Southeast Asia. A multi-sensory experience, this exhibit is the collaborative product of ATIN Global Inc. and SEE Global Entertainment Inc. and will run from July 1 to September 30, 2023.
The Sistine Chapel undoubtedly brought a vision of heaven down to Earth, earning Michelangelo the title “Il Divino” (“The Divine One”) among his contemporaries, but the present exhibit further brings you closer to his masterpiece. Featuring the 34 iconic frescoes in a new format, each painting is lifted off of the Chapel’s ceilings and brought down to the viewer’s eye level, allowing them an intimate view of the divine figures and an appreciation for the dynamism of Michelangelo’s composition in these precise reproductions.
While the exhibition grounds are not identical to the hallowed halls of Vatican City’s Sistine Chapel, it ensures that each sense is employed and stimulated throughout one’s viewing. Stepping into the exhibition, the halls are filled with ambient Renaissance music, curated by Manila Symphony Orchestra’s conductor, Marlon Chan. Each fresco is accompanied by its own informative signage and, should one choose to access it, an audio guide narrating the story of the Sistine Chapel and its artist. Even one’s sense of smell is delightedly stimulated, with notes of patchouli, sandalwood, and frankincense being dispersed throughout several points of the exhibit, in an attempt to emulate the most familiar smells of the Renaissance period.
Unlike the Renaissance period, however, or even the present-day Sistine Chapel, guests are allowed to document their experience through photos and videos (without flash)! Outside the exhibit, several other installments, such as a set of wall-mounted fluorescent angel wings and several photobooths, are available for visitors with each background being more and more Instagram-worthy.
Other facilities are also available for viewers to enjoy, including the Art Room where kids and parents can color in images to be posted on the Art wall; Caffe Michelangelo, which features Italian desserts and delicacies; and the Sistine Souvenir Shor, where guests can find a variety of merchandise.
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition will run from July 1 to September 30 on the second floor, North Wing of the Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Pasig City. Tickets are available at the exhibit or online via http://www.sistinechapelphilippines.com/. Stay tuned for updates and announcements on Instagram and Tiktok @sistinechapelphilippines, as well as Facebook @chapelsistine.
