Guillermo del Toro

Crafting Pinocchio

Dec 11, 2022–Apr 15, 2023

MoMA

Guillermo del Toro on the set of Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, 2022. Image courtesy Jason Schmidt/Netflix
  • MoMA, Floor T2/T1 The Debra and Leon Black Family Film Center
  • MoMA, Floor 2, 2 South The Paul J. Sachs Galleries

“No art form has influenced my life and my work more than animation and no single character in history has had as deep of a personal connection to me as Pinocchio,” the acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro has said. Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinocchio, an exhibition uniquely organized during the production of a feature film, focuses on Del Toro’s first stop-motion animated feature—an innovative reinterpretation of Carlo Collodi’s 1883 children’s novel, now set in Fascist-era Italy. In this exhibition, which coincides with the film’s premiere, visitors will experience being on a movie set and see first-hand how an international team of designers, craftspeople, and animation artists in Portland, Oregon, Guadalajara, Mexico, and Altrincham, England worked collaboratively to realize Del Toro’s vision.

Opening with classic and contemporary editions and interpretations of Pinocchio from around the world, the exhibition also includes production art, props, and a look at the various phases of puppet-making. Working film sets from Del Toro’s movie, motion tests, and time-lapse video installations document the complex stop-motion process that brings the story’s characters to life. The exhibition concludes with an immersive installation that brings together newly commissioned video and posters from Del Toro’s filmography, including works such as The Devil’s Backbone (2001), Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), Pacific Rim (2013), The Shape of Water (2017), and Nightmare Alley (2021).

Please note, there are often significant wait times for entry to this exhibition. We advise that you consider this when planning your visit, come during off-peak days/hours, or join us as a member. MoMA members receive priority access and may enter through an express line.

Please be aware that this exhibition contains monitors with strobing, which may be harmful to some individuals.

Organized by Ron Magliozzi, Curator, and Brittany Shaw, Curatorial Assistant, with Kyla Gordon, Research Assistant, Department of Film.

The exhibition is made possible by CHANEL.

Generous funding is provided by the Triad Foundation, Inc.

Additional support is provided by the Annual Film Fund. Leadership support for the Annual Film Fund is provided by Debra and Leon D. Black, with major contributions from The Contemporary Arts Council of The Museum of Modern Art, Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder, the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP), The Junior Associates of The Museum of Modern Art, and Karen and Gary Winnick.

The Bloomberg Connects digital experience is made possible through the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies.

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