Overall, I loved the content of the Exhibit, because who doesn't love an incredible artist and getting to see something up close that you can't normally view so intricately. However, I do think the Armory does themself a disservice by cramming too much art into too small of a space and letting too many people inside.
Main point: I would still go to see the Exhibit, but hopefully someone from the Armory reads my Exhibit and finds my feedback helpful for future exhibits.
Parking Pro-Tip: Park in the parking lot North of the Armory on Parker, in between the Armory and the big City of WPB park. There is a free parking lot here that is really for the park but is fine to use for the Armory as well. There is a small signboard pointing the way into the exhibit, past the sparkly tiled wall. Pictures below.
If you've been to a show at the Armory before, you know their exhibit space is fairly small. I thought surely they would have opened up some classrooms or something to add more space to host this, but this is not the case.
The Exhibit itself is blown up panels of the Sistine Chapel. Not sure what material they are printed on, but it is a real reproduction (as opposed to a projection like the van gogh exhibits use). If you are expecting an immersive experience, you would be disappointed, because there is little attempt for creativity as an exhibit or providing an type of experience beyond the normal 'using your eyes to look at art visually' experience.
Unless you purchase a book or an audiotour, your guide is the info cards next to each panel. These panels mostly interpreted the Biblical content of the panel, with zero info on the artistry, such as when it was painted, paint, colors, etc. I found this rather disappointing, and I wished I had done some reading/research ahead of time to know more what to look for in the Exhibit.
You are asked to sit in an un-air-conditioned white tent in the Armory courtyard before going into the exhibit and listening to an Armory staff member talk about the exhibit. I assume this is to stagger people going inside, but I did not find the staff member to be entertaining or informative. Frankly, he seemed annoyed to be stuck outside repeating himself over and over, and he was not dressed up for entrance to the Sistine Chapel, which most of the crowd was. Armory, put the right person out there to set the stage! This entrance person could be charming and ENHANCE the experience for us all! Hire a Dreyfoos theater student!
Although the crowd is staggered by time, there are entirely too many people crowded in a very small space. When my assigned time came around, I was among the first people to walk in to the exhibit, only to find most of the previous crowd STILL THERE. There is zero way to social distance. The Armory has crammed the reproductions against each other, hanging several from the ceiling, which is so ironic!!! The final panel has little standing room and is crammed into a room with a video playing. Unbelievable that they dedicate a whole room to a gift shop afterwards rather than giving more space for the panels themselves.
That being said, of course the panels themselves are incredible and I would have still gone to see this Exhibit despite the issues. read more