The Museum of Modern Art in New York is honouring Director Tim Burton with a retrospective exhibit of the artwork connected to some of his most beloved films including Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas. The exhibition will include hundreds of never-before-seen paintings, sculptures and puppets from the artist’s own collection. Celebs including Johnny Depp, Patti Smith, Danny DeVito, Tim Burton and partner Helena Bonham Carter attended the exhibition premier in New York this week (see footage). The exhibition will run from 22 November 2009 until 26 April 2010 and has been described by MONA as an exhibition of Burton’s work “as a director, producer, writer, and concept artist for live-action and animated films, along with his work as a fiction writer, photographer and illustrator.”

For the Tim Burton fans now consumed with weeping, wailing and whimpering because won’t they won’t make the exhibition, there is something just as cool that pays homage to the Burton genius. And it’s called The Art of Tim Burton; a limited edition hard cover book that will feature over 1000 illustrations on over 400 pages. Author and co-editor Leah Gallo writes that Burton’s intention is “to allow his fans a broad look inside his private pages.” Burton states in a preface to the book, “Most of what appears in this book was never intended to be seen by anyone” and his collaborators sorted through “40 years of notebooks, scraps of paper, napkins, etc.” Just when you may think that life can’t get anymore exciting … PUMP THE BRAKES people! The book also includes commentary from Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and other actors who have helped bring Burton’s unique and twisted visions to life on the screen.

Packaged in both limited-edition lithograph £180 ($300) and standard hardcover £40 ($70) versions, The Art of Tim Burton hits bookstores in December and can be pre-ordered from Steel Publishing. UK orders can be placed through Forbidden Planet.

Sources:
Wired.com: Concept Art Offers Peek at Tim Burton’s Twisted Mind
Slashfilm.com: The Art of Tim Burton

Interesting Links:
Guardian.co.uk: Exhibition picture gallery – Lurid beauty of monsters: Tim Burton comes to Moma
MTV.com: Tim Burton Calls Retrospective Museum Exhibit ‘Surreal’