In an unexpected move, Canadian superstar Drake is bringing back a previously forgotten art amusement park built in 1987 as an art exhibition. With the help of his entertainment company, Dream Crew, the park installation known as "Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy" is expected to open for visitors this month of December, with plans of it running until the end of Spring in 2024.
It will be held at the corner of downtown Los Angeles and will feature a revamped collection of art and attractions created by esteemed contemporary artists like Keith Haring, Salvador Dali, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Sonia Delaunay, David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein, Joseph Beuys, and Rebecca Horn, and Kenny Scharf.
How 'The World's First Art Amusement Park" Ended as Fast as It Began
First launched as simply "Luna Luna" in a park in Hamburg, Germany, the amusement park started strong as it accommodated over 240,000 visitors while also gaining tons of publicity through the international coverage it attracted. However, it eventually lost funding, was forced to shut down, and was entirely forgotten for a couple of decades.
The idea first came into being as the brainchild of the Austrian artist, André Heller, who was able to convince over 30 artists to join his "ludicrous" endeavor of building an amusement park focused on art. Among those who agreed were a couple already well-known musicians like Miles Davis and Philip Glass, permitting Heller to use their songs.
Keith Haring carousel designed for André Heller’s “Luna Luna” art amusement park, 1987. pic.twitter.com/aSrwETDAAW
— Mark Farina (@djmarkfarina) May 17, 2021
Heller raised a capital of $350,000 thanks to an investment from a German magazine publication named "Neue Revue," which he used as funds for scouting and recruiting would-be artists for his amusement park. That said, the fee that Heller gave out was admittedly low, which he wrote about in the book "Luna Luna: The Art Amusement Park."
According to a report by The Art Newspaper, some artists were paid as low as around $10,000, but for some miraculous reason, most of the artists still agreed to contribute, most of whom sent designs to be executed. Some artists worked on walkway art depicting geometric characters, while others painted signages, whole rides, and even pavilions.
Eventually, everything lined up and it was set up in Hamburg, opening its gates on a rainy day. Unfortunately, Heller didn't get to enjoy the park's success of bringing in respectable figures of attendance as the project's funding was cut despite it all.
How Drake Restarted André Heller's Dream Park "Luna Luna"
Come 2007, the park equipment and materials all eventually ended up in a warehouse in Texas, where it was found and bought by Drake through his entertainment production in 2022, alongside financial investments by Adel "Future" Nur. Afterwards, the entire kit was moved to LA where it had undergone some restorative efforts.
"Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy" will be an indoor exhibition held inside two warehouses across a 60,000-square-foot complex and only half of the original attractions will be showcased including Hockney's magical grove, Dali's trippy intra-mirrored dome, and Delaunay's abstractly painted welcoming archway.
Of note, is the unfortunate fact that most of the park attractions are only restricted to viewing, however, there are a few select rides that people can enjoy.
