The World of Tim Burton

A colossal expedition into the mind of Tim Burton through over 200 pieces of rare and unpublished behind-the-scenes materials

From Beetlejuice to Batman, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to Alice in Wonderland and beyond, Tim Burton has made an indelible mark on cinema across horror, drama and fantasy films with his uncanny, whimsical style. Since his youth, he has created a thematic repository of popular culture, comics, fairy tales, Old Hollywood films and more, the elements of which he intersperses into his movies.

The major, immersive exhibition at the Museo del Cinema in Turin, and its corresponding catalog, honors Burton’s unique vision and artistic output. Divided into nine thematic sections, the catalog features over 200 examples of rarely or never-before-seen original artworks spanning Burton’s entire lifetime: including early sketches from his childhood, paintings, drawings, photographs, concept art, storyboards, costumes, moving-image works, maquettes, puppets and life-size sculptural installations. This archival material honors Burton’s signature style but also reveals his appreciation of the work of previous generations, including the drawings of Edward Gorey and Charles Addams, the horror films of Vincent Price and Japanese monster movies. The World of Tim Burton creates an autobiography told through his creative process, tracing the singular visual imagination of a multidimensional postmodern artist.

Tim Burton (born 1958) grew up in Burbank, California and studied animation at the California Institute of the Arts. Fired from Disney after making Frankenweenie, Burton was approached by Paul Reubens to direct Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, which became his first major hit. Since then he has directed dozens of blockbuster movies and has become recognizable for his signature style. Recently he directed and produced the TV series Wednesday, the second-most watched show on Netflix.

• The fantastic and visionary world of Tim Burton, in a rich volume that celebrates his dreamlike and grotesque style, developed over 30 years of great successes
• Published to accompany an exhibition at the Museo Nazionale del Cinema, Turin, 10 October 2023 - 7 April 2024

About the Authors:

Domenico De Gaetano is the director of the Museo Nazionale del Cinema in Italy.
Jenny He is a director based in New York City.
Stefano Bessoni is an Italian filmmaker, animator and illustrator.
Giona A. Nazzaro is the artistic director of the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland.
Luca Beatrice is an Italian art critic, curator and essayist.