Tim Burton. He’s a multi-award winning director, producer and artist; he’s the genius behind Edward Scissor Hands, The Corpse Bride, Big Fish and Sweeney Todd; he inspires, changes lives, scares children and Johnny Depp is the godfather of one of his sons. What more can I say?

Direct from The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, Tim Burton: The Exhibition, which is curated in direct collaboration with Burton, brings together over 700 works, including paintings, drawings, puppets, costumes, storyboards and film. It traces his career from the early years until today and allows you to get a closer look into the twisted world of dark humour and gothic fantasy that defines Burton’s films.

Burton himself didn’t read fairytales. He said, “Monster movies are my form of myth, of fairytale. I linked those monsters, and Edgar Allan Poe, to direct feelings.” So while we were singing along to Care Bears, giggling at Winnie the Pooh and being traumatised by Mufasa’s death in The Lion King, Burton was relating to Frankenstein and analysing The Raven. Through the exhibition, talks, film screenings, workshops and live performances maybe we can start to understand Burton’s mind, imagination and perception of the world.

The exhibition opens this Thursday 24th and that very night in an event titled Masterclass, Tim Burton himself will be talking with infamous film critic and fashion icon, Margaret Pomeranz, about his creative process. Tickets are sold out but before you break out in tears you can still experience this one-time event live on the big screen at Fed Square from 6pm. I know it’s not the same as seeing him in person but it’s free so stop complaining.