09.08.2010
After the morning spent in Federation Square, making use of the free wireless internet to upload pictures and write, and getting haircut in one of the many salons lining the upper part of Elizabeth Street, I decided to visit the Tim Burton Exhibition in the Australian Centre for the Moving Image back at Federation Square. The exhibition is part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces and was originally organized by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Despite only having been opened in August (I believe), the collection of his drawings, cartoons, paintings, sculptures, movie props and costumes has already attracted more than 100,000 spectators and spooks, making it the most successful exhibition in Melbourne so far.
Though the price is a bit steep (19$) and no discount is given to non-Aussie students (which I find kind of unfair), it was worth it – every last cent! Upon descending into his world, a little signs warns you to let your eyes adjust to the dark before going all the way down. A big red and white striped sign “Tim Burton The Exhibition” lets you know that you are now entering his foyer of fantasies. You are greeted by props from Edward Scissorhands, a large hedge in shape of a deer as well as Edward’s glove and suit. On a big screen right above them, excerpts from the movie are shown. In general the exhibition is organized chronologically – Surviving Burbank, Beautifying Burbank and Beyond Burbank. In the first part, Old school papers, cartoons he drew as a young boy, films he shot with an 8mm and even a children’s book he wrote and animated are on display. Moving on, there’s a large collection of his cartoon drawings, which he mostly did while studying at the California Institute of the Arts. While being very dark and morbid, the Tim Burton as we know and love him, the images all have something quite childlike about them. For example, he takes the collocations “He’s giving his eyes a rest” or “They’re enjoying each other” and draws a guy whose eyes are drooping out of his sockets and lying on a sun chair or a couple gnawing on each other’s limbs with a crazed expression on their faces. His art makes you laugh, despite being downright disturbing at times. This section, which also includes the unfinished projects he developed during his 4 year internship with Walt Disney Studios, ends with the “Burtonarium”, a chasm lit by blacklight with little holes on the sides through which you can see glowing pictures of clowns and flowers or models of the Oogieboogieman or the dog from Nightmare before Christmas on display. All the while, circus music (by Danny Elfman, of course) is played and you feel like a little child having a strange almost-nightmare. The centerpiece of the Burtonarium is a sculpture of a carousel with strange cartoon figurines dancing round and round… Finally, we enter his filmmaking days and stand only inches from the original Batman’s mask and Catwoman suit, Alice’s dress and the Madhatter’s hat, Sweeny Todd’s razors and the Corpse Bride herself. My personal favorite, which actually sent shivers down my spine, was standing in front of the “cast” of Nightmare Before Christmas, including an original Jack Skellington and his many heads. I spent the rest of the day singing his woeful song…
After ascending from his wacky world and walking by the Batmobile on the way out, you cannot help but admire this man with the whacked out fantasy for just being himself and inviting the world into his endearing morbid mind.
Note: I heart Jack Skellington. Sweeny Todd’s razors really do look quite sharp.
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