After debuting in Los Angeles in December 2023, Luna Luna — the world’s first art amusement park showcasing exclusive works by renowned artists like Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, Roy Lichtenstein, Salvador Dalí and David Hockney — has arrived at The Shed in New York City’s Hudson Yards. Our personal favorites? A carousel inspired by mysticism by Arik Brauer and brutalist ferris wheel by Jean-Michel Basquiat, set to Miles Davis’s 1986 song“Tutu.”
Luna Luna’s Beginnings
Inspired by a desire to merge fine art with the vibrant, immersive atmosphere of a theme park, André Heller conceived the concept in the post-World War II era as a juxtaposed celebration of play. The experience first debuted in Hamburg, Germany, in 1987, featuring rides and interactive installations by some of the 20th century’s most influential artists. Heller, an Austrian pop star, writer and avant-garde filmmaker, developed the circus after expanding his creative research to circuses, parades and variety shows. He envisioned the park as a global tour, but after its initial run, financial difficulties and logistical challenges abruptly caused its abandonment. They stored the park in shipping containers in Texas, where it remained untouched for over 30 years.
Luna Luna Today
Regarded as a ‘forgotten fantasy,’ Michael Goldberg rediscovered the fairground, and DreamCrew, the entertainment company led by none other than Drake, acquired it sight unseen. The team then spent two years meticulously restoring the park’s original pieces, bringing this unique blend of art and amusement back to life.
Aside from the importance of preserving these one-of-a-kind relics, what truly resonates with us is the original intent behind Heller’s vision: communal joy. As the exhibition explains, “For the artists of the post-World War II period, art was a powerful tool for questioning society’s values, a way to both engage with and escape the twentieth century’s conflicts and traumas. Luna Luna’s emphasis on joy and play, and its democratic values of audience participation, were born of a desire to channel the power of art to ensure that fascism could never again take hold of the public imagination.” In the 21st century, this still remains true — exemplifying how to transform periods of immense hardship into experiences of shared levity.
This commitment to fostering connection was at the heart of Luna Luna’s creation, reminding us of the enduring potential of artistic expression to extend beyond the confines of traditional gallery walls or private collections to a place of sensory immersion.
Luna Luna is on view at The Shed through Sunday, January 5, 2025, and tickets are available now.
