Tim Burton’s macabre world and its enduring allure

CNN — Gothic fantasy? The short was narrated by the infamous horror actor Vincent Price, who would later play the inventor in Burton’s 1990 film “Edward Scissorhands.” While the character Vincent laments his “ordinary” life, elongated jagged lines, twisted spirals, pinstripes and chequerboards dance across the screen — motifs that crop up repeatedly in Burton’s work and are the basis of the striking world of the Burtonesque. Jenny He, co-curator of the first ever major exhibition of Burton’s work at MoMA 15 years ago, told CNN that: “Stitches seems very macabre, but for Tim, actually, it’s a very positive, optimistic motif, because stitching means that you can put yourself back together — no matter how many times you fall apart.” Dichotomy has always been a key element of the Burtonesque, contrasting vivid color with greyscale, experimenting with humor and horror, exploring the clash of the beautiful and grotesque. Remarking on the sheer volume of work created for each film, Jenny He added: “Even though films are a collaborative effort, inherently, it very much starts from Tim… Everything is in his head, and then it flows out onto paper, or a napkin, or canvas, and then he hands it off to his collaborators, and then they go out into the world of his fans.” Brand Burton Though it may be Burton’s world, his chosen collaborators play a large part in bringing it to life. At a time when authenticity is becoming increasingly valued, Burton’s singular style — so rooted in a painstaking artistic practice — serves as an inspiration for us to value our own creativity, even if others might label it “strange.” As Jenny He told CNN: “Tim is very committed to not changing just because society tells you to.