Saturday, November 14, 2009

Burton's Balloon Boy

Tim Burton's "Balloon Boy" at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City:

(Marilynn K. Yee/The New York Times)

This 21-foot-tall object is one of seven pieces especially made by Burton for the exhibition.

There is also a deer-shaped topiary in front of the entrance of the Titus theaters, inspired by the film Edward Scissorhands.

"For me the fun is making stuff," Mr. Burton said in a telephone interview from Los Angeles, "the joy of seeing where your thoughts take you.” Burton said that the space that now holds the "Balloon Boy" was particularly inspiring when he made it in July. "I always have ideas but often no place to execute them," he explained.

"It's a different kind of immersion into Tim's world," said Rajendra Roy, chief curator of film at MoMA.

The New York Times gave more information:

Some of the new works have explicit references to his films... A diorama created for the show was inspired by his short film The World of Stainboy.

The entrance to the exhibition also bears Mr. Burton's unmistakable hand. Visitors will walk into a giant monster’s mouth, its sharp teeth visible overhead and its tongue a long red carpet leading to the main galleries. It was inspired by an unrealized film project, Trick or Treat, from 1980. Next comes a striped wall with motifs reminiscent of both Beetlejuice, Mr. Burton's 1988 tale of newly dead ghosts, and his 2005 adaptation of the Roald Dahl novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Inside the show is a multimedia carousel hanging from the ceiling and revolving under black lights.

"I'm a fidgety person, so I doodle a lot," Mr. Burton said. "I don’t like to consider myself as an artist. It's too grand. I just like to make things."

Of everything in the show it is perhaps "Balloon Boy" that will make a lasting impression. But what if some child decides to prick it?

"I've got a whole Band-Aid kit ready to go," Mr. Burton replied instantly.

1 comment:

zipco said...

Hey there!

Our magazine, Superchief, is holding a contest where the winner gets to photograph Tim Burton on Nov 17th.

the link to the contest is

http://superchief.tv/?p=6796

can you please let people know about it?

Thank you so much, love the site!

-Ed Zipco