Hollywood loves a sequel … and inside a warehouse in downtown Los Angeles is a second act that took nearly 40 years to complete. Some of the main characters in this story include Keith Haring, Salvador Dalí, Arik Brauer, Sonia Delaunay, Kenny Scharf and David Hockney – each creating parts of a kaleidoscope that many in the art world didn't even know existed.
It all began in the 1970s with a man named André Heller, who convinced some of the most notable artists of the late 20th century to design an avant-garde amusement park in Hamburg, Germany. Luna Luna opened its doors in 1987 – a canvas to not only look at, but to play on.
Haring designed a carousel. Hockney constructed a cylindrical forest pavilion described as an "enchanted tree." Dalí's geodesic dome is a mirrored funhouse. Scharf, a surreal street artist, graffitied a chair swing ride and created geometric sculptures to accompany it. Jean-Michel Basquiat painted a Ferris wheel. Roy Lichtenstein designed exterior panels for a glass labyrinth, which featured music by Philip Glass.
Approximately 300,000 individuals visited the park during its seven-week operation before it vanished from public knowledge. However, Michael Goldberg, a creative director from New York, stumbled upon an article about the amusement park and eventually reached out to Heller directly.
"André essentially walked me through the entire process of creating Luna Luna and his aspirations of taking it worldwide," Goldberg stated. Goldberg also mentioned that prominent figures from the art world joined in because "it provides an incredible platform to reach a wider audience."
After its debut in Hamburg, Luna Luna was supposed to travel to San Diego for its American premiere. However, this never materialized due to disagreements between Heller and the handling of the American launch. As a result, Luna Luna was quietly placed in storage somewhere in the Texas desert, leading to years of litigation.
Goldberg's mission became the revival of Luna Luna, and he enlisted the help of renowned rapper and art enthusiast Drake. Drake's company, Dreamcrew, invested an undisclosed amount to purchase the 44 shipping containers containing Luna Luna, without even knowing their contents.
In January 2022, the Luna Luna containers arrived in Los Angeles for unpacking. However, there were no instructions or manuals included. Joel Searles and his team took on the task of restoring each masterpiece. Searles described the process as "very fun" and exciting, comparing it to unwrapping a present.
"What makes Luna Luna so special is these marquee names that were locked away in this art-historical secret. André Heller saw it as breaking down the boundaries between artists of different generations and disciplines. You have Keith Haring, young pop artist, but then you also have Roy Lichtenstein, one of the founders of pop art."
German artist Monica GilSing is one of the few represented still alive. She designed the banners, what she calls "wind images." "It felt like going into a totally new art world," she told CBS News. "Clowns and artists talked to everybody. So, the interaction was immediately there. You could feel that all the visitors were so happy."
The restoration of Luna Luna, GilSing said, offers "a new insight into this magical world."
Time has made each one of these artists legendary … which also means each piece is too valuable to ride, though parkgoers will be allowed to walk in some.
Tan said, "In art sometimes, there's a shying-away of spectacle, like, it's supposed to be serious and very intellectual and not so much experiential. At Luna Luna, it was the complete opposite."
For more info:
- Luna Luna (opens December 2023 in Los Angeles)
- "Luna Luna: The Art Amusement Park" by André Heller (Phaidon Press), in Hardcover and eBook formats, available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.org
- Dreamcrew
Story produced by Julie Kracov. Editor: George Pozderec.
