luna luna, the world's first traveling art carnival, returns with works by haring, basquiat, & dalí

luna luna returns 35 years later

The phrase ‘history repeats itself’ comes off as an extremely exciting visual with the return of Luna Luna, the world’s first traveling art carnival, carrying public artworks across attractions and rides from the art giants such as Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Salvador Dalí, David Hockey, Roy Lichenstein, Kenny Scharf, and its founder, André Heller. The dubbed world’s first traveling art carnival is slated for a North American tour 35 years later, resurrecting the long-hidden art treasure from global artists that park attendees can hop on and ride.

An amusement park might already pack loads of fun, but Luna Luna comes forward to reinvent the way people perceive it and turn it into a psychedelic, artsy ride that encourages visitors to explore and vibe with the art world while swinging, hopping, and riding on art-carpeted attractions.

images courtesy of Luna Luna | image: Fairground view: Keith Haring, Carousel with Jean-Michel Basquiat, Ferris Wheel. Luna Luna, Hamburg, Germany, June-July, 1987

How did Luna luna start?

Luna Luna’s traveling art carnival emerged in Hamburg, Germany during the summer of 1987 as the brainchild of Viennese artist André Heller. As a multimedia artist, Heller established his signature by creating flying sculptures, circuses, and fire spectacles, and one of the most extravagant ways he could move forward with his artistry opened his path to curating and creating Luna Luna.

He merged what he viewed as the avant-garde and popular culture into a functional carnival with an evolving collection of rides and amusements from then-and-now revered artists spanning art, music, food, and more, a wonderland that welcomed all. But good things came to an end when Luna Luna shut down in the same year it opened, tucked away from the world and into the books of history.

Fairground view: Christian Ludwig Attersee, Swinging Ship Ride. Luna Luna, Hamburg, Germany, June-July, 1987

Why did it shut down?

Luna Luna’s traveling art carnival had been poised to fly around the world but an unforeseen change occurred, leading to the art-filled theme park closing down in the summer of 1987. The fantastical debut in Hamburg went over a change of ownership and right after the transition, Luna Luna was caught in litigation and lawsuits, culminating in the amusement park being locked away.

The Luna Luna artworks, including the attractions and rides the giants of the art world painted on, were stored in a graveyard of shipping container tombs, weaving spider webs and catching flecks of dust for over three decades. Enter 2022, Heller and his son thought of reviving the carnival again, and after having gone through negotiations and connections, Luna Luna is finally coming back.

Fairground view: Arik Brauer, Fairytale Carousel. Luna Luna, Hamburg, Germany, June-July, 1987

2022 is the year of luna luna

Luna Luna’s art-covered attractions and rides are being restored and repolished in a Los Angeles warehouse, prepping them for their North American launch soon. The traveling art carnival saw its return in January 2022 thanks to the collaborative efforts of Heller, his son, and Canadian rapper Drake, whose production company DreamCrew owned parts of the investment which is closing in on 100 million USD, in a news story of the New York Times. While the dates are still to be pinned down, fans and enthusiasts living in North America can slowly expect that they will be graced with the artsy presence of Luna Luna.