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Sistine Chapel of Football

The Sistine Chapel of Football (also called "The Creation of Football") is an artwork exhibited at the Sportivo Pereyra club from Barracas in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It honors two of the greatest stars in the history of Argentine football: Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi along with other leading figures such as Juan Román Riquelme, Gabriel Batistuta, Mario Kempes, Sergio Agüero, Claudio Caniggia, Ricardo Bochini and Ariel Ortega. It is inspired by Michelangelo's classic fresco The Creation of Adam found in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel in Rome. It was created in 2014​ by the Argentine graphic designer and artist Santiago Barbeito (aka Santuke) but it was not until May 2018 that it became globally popular thanks to the viralization of a video filmed by an amateur who uploaded it to social networks.​​

History

In 2014, the club authorities saw the need to provide more light to the main indoor pitch whose ceiling and concrete walls make it a closed space. Initially, the idea was to recreate a sky with clouds but then a new proposal would emerge that included Messi, Maradona and other historical representatives of Argentine football. "For us this is a sacred temple of football and what better way to express it with a suitable ceiling, one like the Sistine Chapel," Ricardo Elsegood, the club's head coach told local media.​

Characteristics

In this recreation of the fresco by Michelangelo, Lionel Messi represents Adam and Diego Maradona acts as God, while the cherubs who complete the scene are Juan Román Riquelme, Gabriel Batistuta, Mario Kempes, Sergio Agüero, Claudio Caniggia, Ricardo Bochini and Ariel Ortega.​ “It is like Maradona grants Messi the legacy of good football,” explained Santiago Barbeito, author of the artwork.​

Unlike the one made by the Italian Renaissance painter in 1511, this current work from Argentina was not painted, but rather is a digital photomontage printed on 8 stretched canvases that reach approximately 500 m².​

Produced through donations, its cost is valued at around $20,000 USD.​

The club

Sportivo Pereyra club is located on 2785 Alvarado Street in Barracas, a neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, a few blocks away from La Bombonera, the stadium owned by Boca Juniors, one of Argentina's top football clubs.

More than 100 kids who play football here do not pay any fee to train and participate in the official championships; It is an atypical case in the Argentine children's leagues. Coaches do not receive a salary either, "they make their wisdom, time and affection available to the children for five days a week", emphasizes Sebastián García, president of the club during the creation of the work.​​

“Our motto is «Every child won to the street is a title obtained» and that is why we love when they celebrate a goal and look at the sky, they can look each other in the eyes with the great Argentine players who were also boys and had the same dreams.” - Sebastián García

Renowned players like Mauro Boselli and Juan Manuel Iturbe have emerged from this club.​

External links

• SRF (Swiss Radio and Television) — Video with interviews with the authors of the work (in German)
• Gabriel Batistuta — Tweet about the artwork