Lost Art Fair "Luna Luna" Revived: A Journey Through Decades of Forgotten Fantasy
The fantastical art funfair Luna Luna, a unique project from the 1980s, has been resurrected decades after it was abandoned in storage. Originally conceived by Austrian artist and creative André Heller in the 1970s, Luna Luna was a groundbreaking art exhibition that brought together the most celebrated artists of the time to design fairground attractions.
The event featured a carousel by Keith Haring, a Ferris wheel by Jean-Michel Basquiat, and a pavilion by David Hockney, among other innovative works. It was a once-in-a-lifetime cultural event that, for a brief summer, allowed children and adults alike to interact with art in an entirely new and immersive way.
Visitors wandered through Roy Lichtenstein’s hall of mirrors, admired Salvador Dali’s surreal fun dome, and sampled biscuits decorated by artist Gertie Frölich. Actors dressed as nuns and flamingos brought a whimsical touch to the experience.
However, despite its early success, Luna Luna’s plans for a grand European tour fell apart, leading to an extensive legal battle and the eventual dismantling of the fair. The attractions were packed away and forgotten for decades, only to be rediscovered in recent years.
From Forgotten Fair to a Modern Art Revival
American entrepreneur Michael Goldberg’s chance discovery of Luna Luna on an art blog set the stage for the fair's revival. Although unfamiliar to many in the art world, Luna Luna captivated Goldberg, who wrote to Heller with an idea to bring the project back. Heller revealed that the fair’s original attractions had been stored in 44 shipping containers in Austin, Texas, since their disassembly in the late 1980s.
The fair’s original success was short-lived; it opened in 1987 and ran for only three months before financial troubles led Heller to sell the exhibition to an American foundation. Despite the foundation’s initial reluctance to proceed with the sale, Luna Luna was stored away, awaiting its rediscovery decades later.
Goldberg, undeterred by the years of uncertainty, rallied investors, including global rap star Drake, to purchase and restore Luna Luna’s treasures, sight unseen.
Unveiling the Treasures of Luna Luna
Upon opening the first shipping container, Goldberg feared the worst – much of the fair's merchandise had been destroyed by years of neglect. However, upon uncovering a second container, he was greeted by the sight of Haring’s carousel, Basquiat’s Ferris wheel, and other exhibits in remarkably good condition, offering instant relief. The restoration process, however, would prove challenging.
Brad Gooch, author of a Keith Haring biography, described the task as "mind boggling," likening it to assembling a giant Lego set without instructions.
Over the course of two years, a team of artists, carnival technicians, curators, and architects worked tirelessly to restore Luna Luna to its original form. The fair’s revival culminated in a grand reopening in Los Angeles in March 2024, and it has since traveled to The Shed in Midtown Manhattan, where it is now on display for art lovers to experience.
Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy in New York
At The Shed, visitors can once again experience the magic of Luna Luna. The original rides are housed in a 17,000-square-foot space where people can explore the creative universe that Heller envisioned. Among the highlights are the Wedding Chapel, a protest piece against anti-LGBTQ marriage laws in the 1980s, and Hockney’s Enchanted Tree Pavilion, which still carries the sweet smell of popcorn from its heyday.
Goldberg, along with modern artists such as André 3000 and Jamie xx, has worked to incorporate contemporary music and culture into the exhibit, enhancing the immersive experience. While the rides are now only for display, the exhibit offers an opportunity to engage with the rich cultural history that inspired it.
A New Era of Art and Interaction
One of the key changes in Luna Luna's modern incarnation is the decision not to allow children to ride the attractions. Although the original fair was designed with interactivity in mind, including Haring’s carousel which children were encouraged to ride, today's exhibition has shifted toward being a more visual and immersive experience, emphasizing the value of the artwork as priceless pieces of history.
Alex Poots, creative co-founder of The Shed, reflects on the exhibit as a "Raiders of the Lost Ark story," a tribute to Heller’s ability to bring together such iconic artists in a groundbreaking format. While some have criticized the ticket prices, Poots maintains that the costs reflect the immense effort and investment that went into restoring the fair to its former glory.
Luna Luna’s Lasting Legacy
As Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy continues to captivate new generations of visitors, it serves as a testament to the power of art to inspire, entertain, and challenge traditional notions of interactive experiences. For those lucky enough to visit, it is a chance to step into a world where the boundaries between art, fun, and culture blur into something entirely new and unforgettable.