They brought their kids to the amusement park.
Actor Jason Sudeikis and artist Nikolai Haas with his wife, stylist Djuna Bel, were among those who took their sons and daughters out for a night of attractions on Thursday in Los Angeles. But it was no ordinary park.
For the first time in nearly four decades — since 1987 — Luna Luna came back to life. Unveiled in Hamburg, Germany, the park showcases rides and games crafted by world-renowned artists, from Salvador Dalí to Jean-Michel Basquiat. André Heller is behind the original project, creating two attractions himself (an inflatable piece that housed a cafe and playful wedding chapel) and commissioning the likes of Basquiat, Keith Haring and David Hockney for a “museum of the future.” And that’s exactly what it’s become.
Guests, munching on popcorn and corndogs, wandered through the 60,000-square-foot space admiring the art, posing with roaming performers and learning about the rebuilding of the rides (which are in fact not for riding, though some are in motion). It’s a fantastical lineup: there’s a Ferris wheel by Basquiat, a carousel by Haring, an “enchanted tree” forest pavilion by Hockney, a Dalí mirrored funhouse (designed for the 1939 New York World’s Fair), a Sonia Delaunay archway and a Kenny Scharf wave swinger. Scharf, born and now residing in L.A., was among the VIP visitors, who also included artists Martine Syms, Jonas Wood and Maripol, as well as actor Shay Mitchell, singer Giveon and photographer Catherine Opie.
There’s another big-name — and a surprising one — behind Luna Luna’s revival. Rapper-actor Drake invested in its restoration with his entertainment company DreamCrew, for a reported $100 million. Something Special Studios’ Michael Goldberg, chief experience officer at Luna Luna, is among the partners with Anthony Gonzales, Daniel McClean and Justin Wills. Helen Molesworth acted as curatorial adviser and Lumi Tan as curatorial director.
The story goes that Luna Luna has been in Texas all this time, sitting in storage inside 44 shipping containers. It was meant to travel to California after Germany years ago but due to a dispute it was left and forgotten — until now.
Dubbed “the world’s first art amusement park,” the experience returns as “Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy” in L.A. It’s located just east of downtown at 1601 E 6th Street and open now through spring 2024.
