It was revealed today that Tim Burton will be featured in a huge exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. The exhibit will run from November 22nd through April 26 and sadly include no gigantic dinosaur hedges. Featured however will be more than 700 pieces of his work- paintings, drawings, storyboards, puppets, and other junk. Along with that MoMa will be showing off a range of films that influenced the director, including some true classics like Frankenstein, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and Corman’s The Pit and the Pendulum. A few short films from Burton’s days as a student will be shown as well.
Burton confessed that when he first heard from museum reps, “I thought it was an elaborate joke of some sort.” The helmer, working on a new version of “Alice in Wonderland” for Disney, said the exhibit’s organizers excavated a huge collection of work, much of which even he had forgotten.”It’s easier for me to think things through visually instead of verbally, so it’s like a diary in that way,” Burton said of the show. “I have so many drawings. I never look at the stuff — I just keep doing it.”
This isn’t the first time Burton’s been featured in a Museum in NYC- a couple of years ago there was an exhibit at the Museum of the Moving Image that featured some of his work. (It’s really an excellent museum for film fans, definitely check it out if you haven’t before. I once saw Tony Jaa perform there before a screening of The Protector!)
In any case, check out MoMa’s site for more info.