Tim Burton at MoMA

This is an admittedly lazy blog post, and I've been an admittedly lazy blogger as of late. I blame it on this gross time of year that combines post-holiday depression, lack of sunlight, an endless stretch until the next big holiday, and crappy weather into one big ball of "meh." Today it rained sideways, thus rendering my umbrella completely useless, which wouldn't have been half as annoying if it hadn't happened in January, when it should be snowing fat, fluffy flakes and making me crave hot chocolate with marshmallows.

So since it's the ultimate time for indoor activities, get thee to the Museum of Modern Art to check out the Tim Burton exhibition that is there until April 26. A good number of props and costumes from his films are on display, like Edward Scissorhands' suit and The Nightmare Before Christmas figures, but the real treat is the abundance of sketches and projects from his early years. Either Burton or his parents must be hoarders, because on display are things he wrote, drew, and created from his grade schools days of coping as the "weird kid" in his Burbank neighborhood to his college years as a promising young artist. In other words, all the cool stuff our parents probably threw out ages ago, making our future museum exhibitions completely lame.

New Yorkers love their gothic artists, so pre-order timed tickets online to avoid the entrance line. And the earlier you can get there, the better; the exhibit fills up fast and there's plenty to see, so the last thing you need is to feel rushed to leave. Unfortunately, photographs aren't allowed in the exhibit, but one of Burton's charming creatures is available for photos in the lobby:


"Kidnap the Sandy Clause, beat him with a stick; Lock him up for 90 years, see what makes him tick!"

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