Michelangelo’s ‘David’ Replica Offers Face Time

THE A-HED Italy's pavilion at the Dubai World's Fair lets people get eye-to-eye with the famous statue By Rory Jones and Giovanni Legorano Feb. 15, 2022 Tap story

When officials in Florence unveiled the original in 1504, onlookers were meant to gaze up from below, showcasing the artwork’s muscular physique and larger-than-life stature. Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty, Cover: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty { "selector": ".wsj--ani-media-fade", "duration": "2s", "keyframes": [ {"opacity": "0"}, {"opacity": "1"} ] }

Making the replica involved 40 hours of digital scanning of the original artwork. Designers then made a three-dimensional digital model and created the statue from filaments of recycled plastic material on the giant 3-D printer. (Photo: Carlo Bressan/AFP/Getty) { "selector": ".wsj--ani-media-zoom", "duration": "3s", "easing": "ease-out", "keyframes": [ {"transform": "scale(1.03)"}, {"transform": "scale(1)"} ] }

Davide Rampello, artistic director for Italy’s pavilion at the World's Fair in Dubai, said he wanted people to view David eye-to-eye. The replica head emerges from the ground floor into a room above, which is decorated with a golden mosaic on the walls and a starry ceiling. Massimo Sestini/AFP/Getty { "selector": ".wsj--ani-text-slide .wsj--animation-wrapper", "duration": "1s", "easing": "ease-out", "keyframes": [ {"transform": "translateY(10px)","opacity":"0"}, {"transform": "translateY(0)","opacity":"1"} ] }

But he put down criticism that the viewpoint was selected to appease sensitivities in the U.A.E., where laws are based on Islamic strictures and nude images are generally viewed as taboo. Abdel Hadi Ramahi/Reuters { "selector": ".wsj--ani-media-pan", "duration": "10s", "easing": "ease-out", "fill": "forwards", "keyframes": [ {"transform": "translateX(-15px) scale(1.1)"}, {"transform": "translateX(15px) scale(1.1) "} ] }

“The U.A.E. government has never not even remotely mentioned any censorial obligation.” —Davide Rampello, artistic director for Italy’s pavilion at the World's Fair in Dubai iStock { "selector": ".wsj--ani-media-zoom", "duration": "3s", "easing": "ease-out", "keyframes": [ {"transform": "scale(1.03)"}, {"transform": "scale(1)"} ] }

Viewers are divided on the new perspective. “I was asking myself: What does this mean?” said one visitor. And another: “The whole statue would be better.” Kamran Jebreili/AP { "selector": ".wsj--ani-media-fade", "duration": "2s", "keyframes": [ {"opacity": "0"}, {"opacity": "1"} ] } { "selector": ".wsj--ani-text-fade", "duration": "2s", "easing": "ease-out", "keyframes": [ {"opacity": "0"}, { "opacity": "1"} ] }

Others like it: “You see the emotion,” one person wearing a face mask said. “We’ve been 18 months without seeing people’s faces, so it’s kind of nice to engage .” Claudio Giovannini/EPA/Shutterstock { "selector": ".wsj--ani-media-zoom", "duration": "3s", "easing": "ease-out", "keyframes": [ {"transform": "scale(1.03)"}, {"transform": "scale(1)"} ] } Read the full story

Produced by Matthew Riva Read the full story