AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) – Arts in the Sunset will exhibit reproduced works of Michelangelo’s renowned ceiling paintings from the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel reproduced in a format that allows visitors to see the masterpieces in person.

The exhibition has traveled all over the world and includes 34 printed life-size frescos. A fresco is a way of painting a mural by painting it onto wet plaster so it becomes a part of the wall.

“People are able to get face to face with them and really get to enjoy the artwork that normally most people aren’t going to be able to travel and actually see themselves possibly in their lifetime,” said Rachel Flores, executive director of Amarillo Art Institute. “It’s definitely an experience that I think bringing to our city is going to be invaluable.”

The exhibit has been to Shanghai, Chicago, Phoenix, Berlin, Vienna, and more. This summer is the first time it will come to Amarillo.

“Amarillo contains folks from all walks of life. Great diversity, a religious people, a very thoughtful people, and an art-loving people. That’s why this exhibit is just perfect for our neighbors here,” said Mark White, executive vice president at Amarillo College.

Flores stated the exhibit coming to Amarillo is a gift to the region.

“Arts are already very, very important in Amarillo but I think bringing in something that is so historically significant, something that a lot of people will never get to see in their lifetime, I think is incredibly important for Amarillo,” said Flores.

Flores said this will bring people from around the Panhandle and beyond to Amarillo to see the exhibit.

“We’re a place here that cares about the arts and really brings really neat things in that you want to come visit,” said Flores.

Hope Stokes, director of marketing for the Amarillo Convention and Visitors Bureau, adds how this can expand the art community in Amarillo.

“Bringing something like this to Amarillo really opens up the door for more art exhibits and art things like this and really kind of props up our art community,” she said. “Exhibits like this will only expand those dollars that are coming into the community. They will give something for locals to do and also bring more visitors to Amarillo which in turn will help our economy.”

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel will be the inaugural exhibit at the newly renovated Sunset Center, now called Arts in the Sunset.

“We have a building that is very historic to our community its been around since 1960 and all the renovations and everything we’ve been doing to it are really to better serve the community,” said Flores.

The exhibit will be open from June 9 to July 23. Touring the exhibit takes around 60 to 90 minutes.

To buy tickets for the exhibit, click here.

The exhibit will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. On Sundays, the exhibit will be open from 1:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.

The exhibit is wheelchair accessible. Proceeds from the exhibit will benefit the Downtown Women’s Center (DWC), Catholic Charities of the Texas Panhandle (CCTXP), the Amarillo Art Institute and the Amarillo Cultural District of the Texas Commission on the Arts.

The ceiling paintings from the Sistine Chapel have been reproduced using licensed high-definition photos. A printing technique emulates the look and feel of the original paintings, and visitors are given a chance to engage with the artwork in ways that were never before possible.

This innovative presentation brings the audience just a few feet away from world-renowned pieces like The Creation of Adam and The Last Judgment.

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