Artist funfair revealed in New York City | Global News Avenue

Children played for a summer on playground equipment designed by the world’s greatest artists, then disappeared for decades.

The attractions are part of Luna Luna, the world’s first art playground, conceived in the 1970s by André Heller, a little-known Austrian creative including Keith Haring ), a Ferris wheel by Jean-Michel Basquiat and a David Hockney pavilion.

Visitors can wander Roy Lichtenstein’s Hall of Mirrors, marvel at Salvador Dali’s playful dome, and sample cookies decorated by artist Gerty Fröhlich, with actors dressed as nuns and flamingos hanging around Turn around.

For months, plans for a grand European tour took shape as a successful attraction—but then the plans collapsed, an extensive legal battle ensued, and the ride was shut down, dismantled, packed away, and forgotten about.

so far.

American entrepreneur Michael Goldberg stumbled upon Luna Luna on an art blog. Despite contributions from some of the biggest names in the art world, he had never heard of it. To his surprise, he had no friends in the industry either.

“Everyone asks me what I’m talking about,” he said. “Something seems a little strange.”

Goldberg “fell in love” with the exposition, wrote to Heller, introduced himself and proposed a new version of the Austrian’s original dream.

The two slowly built a rapport, and Heller revealed that the attractions have been stored in 44 shipping containers in Austin, Texas since they were dismantled.

Luna Luna opened in 1987 and became a huge success within three months. Due to high demand, the show was extended twice, but while trying to fund a European tour, Heller fell into debt and sold the show to an American foundation.

The foundation tried to back out of the deal — a case of “buyer’s remorse,” Goldberg said — but ultimately agreed. However, the rides remained in storage during the years-long battle and new ownership.

Decades after Luna Luna was taken away, Goldberg assembled a team of investors to purchase what might be left of the foundation’s exhibitions—the unseen.

His main investor? Global rap star Drake invests through his investment and entertainment company DreamCrew.

DreamCrew chief executive Anthony Gonzales told the BBC: “The idea of ​​restoring such a rich piece of cultural history outweighs the risk, and for us, it’s not a guarantee.”

The New York Times estimated they paid $100m (approximately £80m). According to The Guardian, the amount was $1 million. Goldberg did not reveal the final price to the BBC.

When he opened the first container, Goldberg began to sweat. Luna Luna’s original merchandise was torn to shreds.

“Did I just lead a team that spent millions of dollars on a bunch of art that was basically rotting in the dust?” he wondered.

It was a sleepless night.

But the next day, as more paper was removed from the second container, light hit the toffee-apple red handles of the Harlem Carousel and then the white floor of Basquiat’s Ferris Wheel,” Probably painted a few days ago.” Goldberg said it was a moment of “immediate relief.”

Uncovering the artwork wasn’t the most difficult part of Luna Luna’s revival.

Brad Gooch, author of Harlem’s recent official biography, “Radiant: The Life and Lineage of Keith Haring,” who witnessed Luna Luna’s reconstruction firsthand, said the The feat was “incredible.”

“It’s like a giant Lego brick without instructions,” he said.

A team of artists, carnival technicians, curators and architects worked together to spend two years painstakingly rebuilding Luna Luna, which re-opened in Los Angeles in March.

Now, Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy comes to The Shed, an arts and theater complex in midtown Manhattan. The fair is accompanied by exhibits detailing its surreal curatorial process.

Alex Poots, creative co-founder of The Shed, describes the journey as a “Raiders of the Lost Ark story” and praises Heller for being able to commission artists of such caliber while finding an attraction that “ Art Lover” form. But still an art lover. “

“It’s a Holy Grail pursuit,” he added.

Most of the original rides are now housed in a towering 17,000-square-foot space. There, visitors can “marry” each other in Heller’s wedding chapel – originally an art form to protest anti-LGBTQ marriage laws in the 1980s.

Hockney’s Magic Tree still smells faintly sweet, as if children once crushed popcorn that fell on the floor.

A soundtrack of contemporary musicians like André 3000, Jamie xx and Jockstrap echoes throughout the space, fulfilling Goldberg’s desire to incorporate “the greatest artists working today.”

Drake isn’t involved in day-to-day work, but “he’s passionate about Luna Luna and has been fully supportive from the beginning,” Gonzalez said.

There is one big difference between Luna Luna in 1987 and today: children were not allowed on the rides.

Basquiat’s Ferris wheel and Kenny Scharf’s swing are for display only. The same goes for (thankfully) Manfred Deix’s “Palace of the Winds,” in which the performer initially farts into a microphone.

Haring’s biographer Gooch believes that the artist would have disagreed with children simply watching his merry-go-round spin.

“I can’t imagine he would allow this,” he said. “He was very insistent on children’s interaction with art, art made specifically for them.”

Putz, who was instrumental in coordinating the exhibition’s interdisciplinary nature, said of the decision: “They are now priceless works of art.”

But he argued for allowing the audience to become “part of this moving exhibition” through a “carnival-like setting where performing artists use light and sound”.

Putz’s career mission was not to “create these islands for the elite.”

He added that ticket prices, criticized by some as being too high, were “quite reasonable” as the show cost “millions” to install.

Raemy Suwatson and her 11-year-old daughter were among the families wandering around The Shed over Thanksgiving weekend and learned the morning they visited that they wouldn’t be able to join the rides.

Harlem’s carousel was her favorite. “I want to ride it,” she said, before adding, “but it’s also cool to watch.”

The show will run from November 20 to February 23 and will go on tour after leaving The Shed. Ticket prices range from $44 for adults to $241 for a Super Moon pass, which allows buyers to skip the line. Child tickets start at $25.