Tim Burton’s Gothic Imagination Arrives at Florence Biennale

The surreal and dreamlike world of filmmaker Tim Burton will take center stage in Florence this October. As part of the 15th edition of the Florence Biennale, the American director will be celebrated with a special exhibition, Tim Burton: Light and Darkness, on view at the Fortezza da Basso from October 18 to 26.

The show brings together around fifty works personally selected by Burton, ranging from sketchbooks and drawings to three-dimensional creations. Visitors will encounter resin figures, sculptural pieces, and immersive installations that retrace the distinctive visual language of the director behind Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Among the highlights is the “Carousel Room,” a fluorescent environment designed in the United States with UV lights and polychrome backdrops, created to plunge visitors into Burton’s trademark gothic fantasy. The exhibition also includes a replica of a neon sign conceived by Burton in tribute to American pop culture, with the original preserved at the Neon Museum in Las Vegas.

A key section is dedicated to Corpse Bride, marking the twentieth anniversary of the stop-motion classic. Authentic models of the characters Victor and Emily will be displayed in both their skeletal armatures—crafted by the renowned Mackinnon and Saunders studio—and in their final puppet versions as seen on screen.

The journey concludes with a screening room, designed to emphasize the audiovisual dimension of Burton’s art. On October 21, the director will be in Florence to receive the Lorenzo il Magnifico Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring his exceptional contribution to the visual arts.

The Florence Biennale, now in its 15th edition, will host 550 artists from over 85 countries. Alongside Burton, Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola will also be celebrated with her own exhibition, Transitions, and a career award. Other highlights include works by Palestinian-Israeli artist Elias Akleh, Chilean jewellery designer Nicole Albagli Iruretagoyena, Swedish photographer Gabriel Isak, British sculptor Emily Young, and Japanese painter Liku Maria Takahashi.

Workshops, performances, and film screenings will further enrich the Biennale program, confirming Florence as an international crossroads for contemporary art and design.

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