Words by Simone Botte @simone.botte
I had the pleasure of being able to preview the exhibition that will open to the public tomorrow at the Fabbrica del Vapore in Milan all about Tim Burton. Who among us hasn’t grown up fond of at least one of his films? I was obsessed with every new or past project of his, I sang with Nightmare before Christmas, built a model for the third grade exam inspired by Beetlejuice and drank tea watching Alice in Wonderland…
Photography by Nicholas Pizzo @nicholas.pizzo
So there couldn’t have been a more suitable person than me for this labyrinth and the thing that surprised me and that the exhibition reserves for all its guests is a part of characters and creatures that Tim dreamed and had in his head and have never become a film, a book or a real project. So we have a series of notes, sketches and drawings of fantastic cards in full Burton style that specifically for the exhibition come to life through projections, animations and statues created by artists. Tim Burton’s Labyrinth, the immersive experience that guides visitors through Tim Burton’s creative and fantastic universe, arrives for the first time in Italy, exclusively at the Fabbrica del Vapore in Milan from December 13, 2024.
With over 650,000 visitors between Madrid, Paris, Brussels, Barcelona, Berlin, the exhibition, an original creation by LETSGO Company, in collaboration with Tim Burton himself and presented in Italy by Alveare Produzioni, LETSGO Company and Fabbrica del Vapore – Comune di Milano, offers an immersive journey that highlights the director’s cinematic work and brings his characters, drawings, paintings to life. Hundreds of works created in over 40 years of a dazzling career. Tim Burton’s Labyrinth opens to the public on December 13, 2024 at the Fabbrica del Vapore in Milan, inviting visitors of all ages to immerse themselves in the world of one of the most original creative minds of our time and discover the iconic scenes of his films. A real labyrinth will allow its explorers to choose a unique itinerary from over three hundred possibilities. By activating a button at the beginning of the path, the journey will begin, which everyone can customize by opening the doors they want.
Photography by Nicholas Pizzo @nicholas.pizzo
“We are happy to host the great and multifaceted creativity of one of the icons of contemporary cinema at Fabbrica del Vapore,” said Councilor for Culture Tommaso Sacchi. “I really wanted this exhibition to inhabit the spaces of Fabbrica precisely because of the eclectic and multidisciplinary spirit that characterizes this place, and which is also the hallmark of Tim Burton, a multifaceted and brilliant artist.”
Tim Burton is known internationally as the creative force behind some of the most iconic films of the last four decades. The characters and visionary worlds of films such as Beetlejuice (1988), Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005), Alice in Wonderland (2010) and the recent Netflix TV series Wednesday, evoke a unique and immediately recognizable visual style. Although he is best known for his work in cinema, Tim Burton is a multidisciplinary artist and the exhibition explores his entire production as an illustrator, painter, writer, screenwriter, photographer and of course director.
Photography by Nicholas Pizzo @nicholas.pizzo
The exciting journey through the labyrinth includes original works of art by Tim Burton, such as environmental sets and original drawings ranging from the first drafts to the animated sequences created during his career, incredible special effects and video mapping. The characters come to life in the exhibition space among over 150 original sketch paintings, 55 animated works of art, 21 life-size figures from the film sets and original stories and extraordinary scenographic reconstructions. The idea for the exhibition comes from the book “The art of Tim Burton” by Leah Gallo and Holly C. Kempf on the illustrations and universes of Tim Burton. The Labyrinth is made up of rooms connected to each other through different doors. Each space has a different theme and to create an immersive experience, the rooms have been transformed into movie sets with characters from Tim Burton’s filmography including Edward Scissorhands, Corpse Bride, Alice in Wonderland, Beetlejuice, Frankenweenie, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Batman, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mars Attacks!, Sweeney Todd.
Photography by Nicholas Pizzo @nicholas.pizzo
Felype de Lima, creative director of Tim Burton’s Labyrinth, who worked closely with Tim Burton, said:
“Tim Burton’s Labyrinth” is an exciting experience that allows visitors to enter Tim’s mind and discover extraordinary worlds. Working side by side with Tim has been an intense and stimulating creative process, which has allowed us to represent four decades of his cinematic genius in a magical and immersive journey. Opening each door will be like exploring a piece of his imagination.”
Álvaro Molina, creative coordinator of Tim Burton’s Labyrinth, also emphasized: “Tim Burton’s Labyrinth is the transposition of his creative mind into a physical space. It is a unique immersive experience that allows the visitor to travel through different worlds and discover the innocence hidden behind his characters. Tim Burton has worked side by side with us to create an exciting and surprising journey, capable of making everyone, adult or child, feel like an explorer of their own mind.”
Photography by Nicholas Pizzo @nicholas.pizzo
Brandi Pomfret, director of the Tim Burton archive, describes the Labyrinth as: “much more than an art exhibition: it is an incredible and unexpected experience. Visitors can immerse themselves completely in Tim Burton’s creative universe, exploring themes such as life, death, love and madness. For me, the most exciting moment was seeing the creative process come to life, from the sculptures to the rooms and helping to translate Tim’s dreams and fantasies into reality. It is a journey into the mind of Tim Burton: a surprising place where every door hides an extraordinary world waiting to be discovered.”
Photography by Nicholas Pizzo @nicholas.pizzo
Tim Burton’s Labyrinth Takes the visitor by the hand, accompanying him to discover the fabulous and fascinating creative universe of one of the most brilliant artists of our time
“It’s good as an artist to always remember to see things in a new, weird way.” – Tim Burton
Photography by Nicholas Pizzo @nicholas.pizzo
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