Top ART News: Week In Review | Nov. 22 - Nov. 29

■ Intrigued Art Collector Discovers Galileo's Relics | ROME (11/22/09) — Relics taken from the "Father of Modern Science," Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), have been rediscovered and will go on display sometime next spring.  Experts have examined the provenance of three items - two fingers and a tooth - found inside an 18th-century container and determined the specimens indeed belonged to Galileo... More >

 

■ Sex and the City's Kim Cattrall to Play Nude Diana in Titian Painting | EDINBURGH (11/23/09) — Actress Kim Cattrall, best known for her role as Samantha Jones on Sex and the City, announced that she will pose nude once again in the name of art. This is the second time the English-born Cattrall has volunteered her body to raise funds to keep classic Renaissance paintings on display in the U.K... More >

 

■ Study Shows Artists Remain Inspired Despite Recession Challenges | NEW YORK, NY (11/24/09) — The results of an art survey, released Tuesday, indicate that despite being hit hard by the economic recession, artists remain optimistic about their importance in society. In fact, 89% of those who participated in the Artists and Economic Recession Survey believe they play a special role in helping strengthen their communities during these tough times. 75% of those polled believe that overall this is an inspiring time to be in an artistic profession... More >

 

■ Giant Finger Painting Sets World Record | HONG KONG (11/27/09) — As American children were celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday, around 3,300 students were setting a Guinness World Record in China. The children created a giant finger painting carrying the anti-drug slogan, "Not Now, Not Ever, Say No to Drugs"... More >

■ Surreal or Cubist? The Science of Objective Art Classification | KYOTO (11/28/09) — Have you ever wondered which characteristics of a painting classify it as a certain artistic genre? How do we know a Picasso piece conforms to the properties of Cubism, and what makes Dali art Surreal? Placing artwork into its proper genre is a pretty subjective task, but researchers in Japan are working to make the work of art historians a bit more scientific... More >

Top ART News: Week In Review | Nov. 22 - Nov. 29

Tim Burton's Surreal Debut at the MoMA

NEW YORK, NY — Beetlejuice... Beetlejuice... Beetlejuice! A major retrospective opening to the public on Sunday will give fans of blockbuster movies like Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas a unique opportunity to step into the surreal world of Tim Burton. The Museum of Modern Art has compiled over 700 examples of sketchbooks, concept art, drawings, paintings, photographs, and a selection of amateur films for a new exhibit simply entitled, Tim Burton.

On Tuesday night, actress Helena Bonham Carter (Burton's wife), actor Johnny Depp (aka The Mad Hatter in Burton's upcoming film Alice in Wonderland), composer Danny Elfman and actor Danny DeVito were among the many stars at the MoMA for a gala-preview of the new exhibit. Guests walked through a giant monster's mouth with sharp teeth and a long red carpet tongue to enter the main galleries where the master of macabre's artwork is on display.
 

Although widely-recognized as a successful Hollywood director, many don't realize Tim Burton's talent as an artist, illustrator, photographer, and writer. "I wasn't a very verbal teenager and I communicated a lot to other people and myself with little drawings. It was always a form of communication and exploration for me,'' Burton said about his artwork.

In the following behind-the-scenes video, montages of artwork from the exhibit are displayed as Burton discusses his artistic career:

And here is a 30-second, really cute promo released by the MoMA to promote the Tim Burton exhibit:

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Tim Burton (November 22, 2009 - April 26, 2010)

Museum of Modern Art, New York | Website
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Tim Burton's Surreal Debut at the MoMA