Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinocchio is an exhibition uniquely organized during the production of the first stop-motion animated film by the Mexican director.

In the MOMA exhibition, 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.

Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinocchio concludes with an immersive installation that brings together newly-commissioned video and art 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).

The exhibition, which is open until April 15, 2023, is organized by Ron Magliozzi, Curator, and Brittany Shaw, Curatorial Assistant, with Kyla Gordon, Research Assistant, Department of Film.

Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro

The film by the Mexican director, released in 2022, presents an innovative reinterpretation of Carlo Collodi’s 1883 children’s novel, now set in Fascist-era Italy.

“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,” del Toro said in a MOMA statement. 

Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro is available on Netflix streaming and has recently been nominated for Golden Globes in the categories Best Animated Film, Best Soundtrack, and Best Song.

It has also advanced to the 2023 Oscars shortlist and has been nominated for Best International Feature Film, Best Music (Original Score), Best Original Song, and Best Sound.