positively inspiring

The whole reason I took my whirlwind trip to NYC was for Tim Burton. I had read several months ago about the Tim Burton exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art. I read about it and instantly wanted to go. HAD to go. NEEDED to go. My roommate and I had planned a trip for December, but then that fell through. Then we planned another one and we didn't get a hotel, so that date fell through as well.

Finally, we decided that we couldn't wait any more because time was running out and our lives were getting swallowed by the monster that is "spring time at camp." We booked a hotel on Saturday. Bought the tickets to the MoMA on Monday and left on Tuesday. And I must say that it was one of the most amazingly, inspiring things I've seen in years.


Tim Burton is the genius behind so many great films. Many of which are some of my all time favorites like Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Pee Wee's Big Adventure and Sweeney Todd. His films are, for the most part, very distinctively his. And I am one of those people who loves them.

(entryway into the exhibit. It's even more amazing in person.
Image found via google images.)

I went into this exhibit knowing that it was light on the film side and more heavy on the artist side of his work. I didn't know what to expect, really. I think that was a good thing because I was in awe when I saw drawings/painting like this....


Or this. Note the details. You could stare at this for a long time just trying to see it all.

I was simple astounded/awestruck at his drawings. I fought my way (that place was crazy crowded!!) to stand in front of each drawing that I could to really look at them. The details. Oh, the details. There is just something about seeing these works in person that doesn't compare with seeing them in a book or on a computer monitor.

There was a room devoted to his films as well. Drawings like this from Edward Scissorhands


And not just drawings, but outlines for scripts written on yellow legal pads, drawings on cardboard boxes, napkins, hotel notepads and sketchbooks. Sketches of the Penguin (from Batman), Jack from The Nightmare Before Christmas and the Headless Horseman from Sleepy Hallow. There was a beautiful piece from one of his Corpse Bride collaborators that was a silhouette of every character in Corpse Bride. I wanted a print of that one so badly to put on my wall because it was so beautiful.


It was like getting to walk through his imagination and see how he creates. He seems to love stripes and patterns. He loves creepy and different.


My favorite drawing was similar to this one. I just adore the walls and the floor. Again, the details in person are just incredible.


I can't recommend this exhibit enough. GO, if you can! If you can't, the exhibit's website is full of great things too. You can see a small image of just about everything in the exhibit here. Here's a quick video that gives you a glimpse of pieces of the exhibit without the 675 people crammed around them.




***photography wasn't allowed in the exhibit. I snuck the first 2 photos while no one was looking. hehe. I just had to have some record that I was there. The other photos are all from Google images.