A Forgotten Fantasy is Revived at The Shed

Summary

All Of It Podcast Summary: "A Forgotten Fantasy is Revived at The Shed"

Podcast Information

• Title: All Of It
• Host: Alison Stewart
• Producer: WNYC
• Episode Title: A Forgotten Fantasy is Revived at The Shed
• Release Date: November 27, 2024
• Description: ALL OF IT is a show about culture and its consumers, aiming to engage thinkers, doers, makers, and creators about the what and why of their work. The show fosters a community where diverse perspectives enhance the cultural landscape of New York City.

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Introduction to Luna Luna

[00:32] Alison Stewart opens the episode by introducing Luna Luna, a visionary project initiated in 1987 by Austrian pop star, artist, and curator Andre Heller. Described as a "carnival of the avant-garde," Luna Luna was originally set in Hamburg, Germany, featuring 33 attractions crafted by renowned artists such as Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, Salvador Dali, Jean Michel Basquiat, Roy Lichtenstein, and David Hockney.

Heller envisioned Luna Luna as a space where art could be experienced in unconventional forms, making it accessible to a broader audience outside traditional art venues. However, due to legal complications, the project remained in storage for decades until its revival at The Shed in New York City.

Notable Quote:

"Art should come in unconventional guises and should be brought to those who might not ordinarily seek it out in more predictable settings." — Andre Heller [00:32]

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The Vision Behind Luna Luna

[02:02] Michael Goldberg, Chief Creative and Experience Officer of the show, delves into Andre Heller's vision. Heller's ambition began in the late 1970s with the goal of democratizing art by integrating it into the familiar and nostalgic format of a Luna Park—a concept with origins in Coney Island and proliferating across Europe.

Heller’s approach involved collaborating with prominent artists to reinterpret the traditional amusement park. This collaboration transformed rides, games, and attractions into interactive art pieces, thereby offering visitors a unique cultural experience.

Notable Quote:

"It's taking this traditional format that people have likely experienced... and inviting artists to rethink it and apply their skill sets to the format of a Luna Park." — Michael Goldberg [02:51]

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Recruiting Iconic Artists

Heller's recruitment strategy was both personal and strategic. Starting with legendary artists like Salvador Dali and Sonia Delaunay, he leveraged introductions from influential figures such as Andy Warhol to bring on board artists like Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, and Jean Michel Basquiat.

Goldberg recounts Heller’s compelling method of connecting with artists by reminiscing about their childhood experiences at Luna Parks, thereby inspiring them to contribute creatively to Luna Luna.

Notable Quote:

"When you were a child, did you ever go to a Luna Park?... Would you be interested in designing a rad game or attraction?" — Andre Heller [04:20]

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Luna Luna’s Revival and Challenges

After its initial exhibition in 1987, Luna Luna faced legal battles that prevented its global tour. The Mary and Steven Birch Foundation attempted to exhibit it in San Diego, but the project stalled in litigation from the early '90s until 2006. Post-lawsuit, the artwork was stored in 44 shipping containers at a ranch in Texas, largely forgotten by the art world.

In 2019, Michael Goldberg discovered Luna Luna through an obscure art history blog and was astonished by its obscurity. Determined to revive the project, he partnered with Drake’s production company, DreamCrew, and successfully reacquired the dormant artworks.

Notable Quote:

"How could you have all of these incredible artists and put on an experience like this and nobody knows what it is?" — Michael Goldberg [09:03]

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Reopening Luna Luna at The Shed

The revival of Luna Luna at The Shed transforms it into an interactive experience accessible to the public. Although certain original elements, like the carousel, are non-operational, the exhibit incorporates new features to engage visitors of all ages.

Goldberg highlights the addition of Ponsilly Land, a child-friendly space designed by the Puerto Rican duo Poncilli Creation, where both kids and adults can create fantastical constructions. The exhibit also features roaming performers, interactive characters inspired by original performers from 1987, and a new musical soundtrack mingling classics from Miles Davis and Philip Glass with contemporary artists like David Byrne and Andre 3000.

Notable Quote:

"Luna Luna is one of these projects that you could see images of it. It's not until you come down and actually experience it that you're going to understand it." — Michael Goldberg [12:51]

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Audience Reactions and Personal Stories

Listeners' feedback underscores the universal appeal of Luna Luna. Nobles from Washington Heights shares his delightful experience, highlighting the blend of art and interactive fun. He particularly enjoyed discovering original prints and appreciated the thoughtful plaques that add depth to the exhibit.

Notable Quote:

"I went on a double date. I kind of felt it was an experience zone more than an art show... It blew my mind." — Nobles [06:53]

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Overcoming Revival Challenges

Goldberg discusses the emotional and logistical challenges of reviving Luna Luna. Opening the storage containers was a mix of joy and anxiety, as initial concerns about the artwork's condition were alleviated upon discovering most pieces were intact and well-preserved.

Notable Quote:

"I'll never forget the feeling, the pit in my stomach of just, you know, the uncertainty." — Michael Goldberg [10:52]

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Engaging Experiences and Artistic Access

Luna Luna’s revival emphasizes inclusivity in art accessibility. Goldberg explains that the exhibit caters to both art aficionados and newcomers, ensuring that everyone leaves with a memorable experience, regardless of their prior knowledge. The interactive elements and diverse artistic contributions create a space where personal connections to the art are encouraged.

Notable Quote:

"You could be an expert and know everything there is to know about all of these artists... or the person that isn't familiar and doesn't really know about art. I guarantee you're going to walk away with a smile." — Michael Goldberg [14:51]

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Favorite Elements and Personal Highlights

When asked about his favorite part of Luna Luna, Goldberg highlights the Andre Heller Wedding Chapel. Originally created as a space for unrestricted unions during the Berlin Wall era, the chapel continues to offer a whimsical and inclusive venue for couples today.

Notable Quote:

"I absolutely love the Andre Heller wedding Chapel. It's really fun." — Michael Goldberg [16:04]

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Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The episode concludes with Alison Stewart reiterating the significance of Luna Luna's revival at The Shed, set to run until January 5th. She thanks Michael Goldberg for his insights and encourages listeners to experience Luna Luna firsthand.

Notable Quote:

"Luna Luna, A Forgotten Fantasy, is at The Shed through Sunday, January 5th." — Alison Stewart [16:20]

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Final Takeaway: Luna Luna's revival exemplifies the transformative power of art when combined with interactive and inclusive experiences. By bridging the gap between traditional art forms and popular culture, The Shed successfully reintroduces a forgotten fantasy to a new generation, fostering a deeper appreciation for avant-garde creativity within the vibrant cultural tapestry of New York City.

Transcript

[Alison Stewart]

Hey, it's Latif from Radiolab. Our goal with each episode is to make you think, how did I live this long and not know that? Radiolab Adventures on the Edge of what We Think We Know. Listen wherever you get. Podcasts.

[Michael Goldberg]

Listener Supported WNYC Studios.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. In 1987, Austrian pop star, artist and curator Andre Heller set out to create what he called a carnival of the avant garde. It was called Luna Luna. Originally set in Hamburg, Germany, the grounds hosted 33 attractions, including a carousel painted by Keith Haring, a Kenny Scharf swing ride, Salvador Dali design, geodesic pavilion, and then there are the giant pieces from Jean Michel Basquiat, Roy Lichtenstein, and David Hockney. Heller said, quote, art should come in unconventional guises and should be brought to those who might not ordinarily seek it out in more predictable settings, but because of legal issues, it sat in storage for decades. Now it is a second life at the Shed. The show is called Luna A Forgotten Fantasy. You can see it there until January 5th. One of the reasons the show exists is my next guest, the show's chief creative and Experience officer, Michael Goldberg. Welcome to the studio.

[Michael Goldberg]

Thank you for having me, listeners.

[Alison Stewart]

We'd love to get you in on this conversation. Have you been to see Luna Luna? What did you think? What part of the show was your favorite? Call us or text us. 2124-3396-9221-2433-933, WNYC. Or you can reach out to us via social media at all of it. Wnyc. Okay, we're going to go in chronological order with this. In 1987, Luna Luna was conceived by Andre Heller from Vienna, Austria. What did he want to Luna Luna?

[Michael Goldberg]

Well, Andre's dream actually starts back in the late 70s. Andre was determined, as you mentioned with that quote, to bring art to a wider audience. And leading up to, you know, he basically has this grand idea of taking the format of a Luna park, which was originally started in the early 1900s in Coney island and spreads around the globe, especially pops up in Europe with these Luna Parks. And Andre has the idea of taking that format, but presenting it in this totally new way by inviting some of the great living artists of the time to design rides, games, pavilions, interactive, you know, attractions for guests to experience.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah, he was so invested in this idea of a carnival of the avant garde. What does that mean exactly? Or how did you respond to that?

[Michael Goldberg]

Well, it's taking this, you know, traditional format that people have Likely experienced, you know, in their local communities around the globe, which is, you know, a fair, an amusement park, a carnival, but inviting artists to rethink it and to, you know, apply their skill sets to the format of a Luna Park.

[Alison Stewart]

So he just calls up Keith Haring and says, hey, want to make a carousel? How does that work?

[Michael Goldberg]

No, so it actually starts, like I mentioned, in the. In the late 70s. And the first two artists, you know, when he comes up with this idea that he meets with, are Salvador Dali and Sonia Delaunay. And with Sonia Delaunay, he actually. He went out to Paris and he literally just knocked on her door, and luckily she answered. She invited him. They immediately spark up this great rapport. And she tells them this story about when she was younger, she was very close with Picasso, and Picasso used to say, it's such a pity that the French government doesn't invite us to design the major monuments, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe. And if we were to get the ability to design something like this, Sonia, you would design an incredible archway. So Andre hears this story and immediately looks at Sonia and says, well, then that's that. You should design the archway that. Guess what? Enter into the park. So Sonia, you know, sketched something out and she was the first artist on board. And then fast forward to the mid-80s, Andre secured funding from this publication called New Revo. And at that point, he really kicked off this global tour where he came out to New York City and began recruiting artists. So through an introduction by Andy Warhol, he met with Roy Lichtenstein, who immediately told him, you know, you gotta meet with David Hockney. Before he flew out to LA to meet with David Hockney, he connected with Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf and Jean Michel Basquiat. And, you know, based on the fact that he already had Salvador Dali, Sonya Delaney, and he was getting introductions by the likes of Andy Warhol, artists paid attention. And, you know, one of the stories that Andre recounts is he talks about, you know, how did I convince them? How did I get people to buy into this idea? So he would ask every artist, have you ever been to? Have you ever been a child? And, well, they all would have to look at him and say, yes. And then he said, well, when you were a child, did you ever go to a Luna Park? And they would all say, yes, of course. And he said, did you like it? And they said, yeah, I loved it. And he said, well, then that's that. Would you be interested in designing a rad game or attraction? And you know, for some of these artists, like Keith Haring, we have this incredible video footage of Keith Haring at Luna Luna, and he talks about the way that, you know, from the moment that he met Andrew, this was a fantasy, something that he would love to do and be a part of. And it dates back to his first experience of going to Disney World.

[Alison Stewart]

Nice. Actually, this leads to our next text. Somebody just texted us how kid friendly is Luna Luna. I have a three and a half year old and a two year old.

[Michael Goldberg]

This new experience has all these new layers and new elements that are incredible for children. So we have this new commission by a Puerto Rican duo, two brothers. They're incredible. They're called Ponsilly Creation. And they've designed this space called Ponsilly Land, where they have these building blocks that they've custom created. And guests, kids and adults, are able to create their own fantastical creations. You can even wear some of them. They've also developed a new cast of characters that were inspired by the original performers that roamed throughout the park in 1987 in Hamburg. These characters, you know, interact with guests. It's all improv. So they really create these beautiful, special moments. And, you know, that was a long answer, but the answer to the question is absolutely. Come on down.

[Alison Stewart]

I was there yesterday.

[Michael Goldberg]

My son is two and a half.

[Alison Stewart]

Hilarious.

[Michael Goldberg]

Yeah, yeah. My son is two and a half and he. Every day he's trying to come back to Luna Luna.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Nobles from Washington Heights. Hi, thanks for calling in.

[Nobles]

Hey, thanks so much, Allison. Love your show. Went to Luna Luna last Friday and it was stupendous. My wife and I, we went on a double date. I kind of felt it was an experience zone more than an art show. I'm such a sucker for gift shops too. And it was so cool to find out that you guys had original prints in there from 1987. I'm a huge Keith Haring fan. We bought one. And what was really interesting is I'm a huge plaque sucker as well. I love reading all the plaques. And one of the things that was really cool is that Drake found this. Like, what did Drake have to do with Luna Luna? It blew my mind, but thank you so much. Amazing experience. Thank you for the show, Alison. Well done.

[Michael Goldberg]

Bye.

[Nobles]

Bye.

[Alison Stewart]

We're going to get to that in just a minute. But first I want to point out that, you know, for a while after Luna Luna first was on Heller, you know, he sort of wanted to forget Luna Luna initially, way back. I mean, what were his issues with It.

[Michael Goldberg]

I don't think he ever aimed to forget it. It was actually so legal cases. Yeah. So after Luna Luna showed in 1987, he had these grand plans to tour Luna Luna the globe. And he. There was a couple of interested buyers, one of them being, you know, the city of Vienna. And there was some public backlash in that. People came in and, you know, were writing to the newspapers. Why should we be spending government money to purchase something like this? This isn't our work. And Andre heard, you know, this critique and just said, well, forget it. You know, I don't want to do a deal like this. You guys shouldn't have access to something this special. So another offer comes in, and it's from the Mary and Steven Birch Foundation. And they had read about Luna Luna in Life magazine, which called Luna Luna the most dizzy, dazzling art show on earth. And after hearing about it, they had plans to show it in San Diego. Contract was signed, deal was going through, and at the last minute, they tried to pull out of it. It ended up going to litigation. It got tied up in court from the early 90s all the way to 2006. Andre wins the lawsuit. He gets paid. He transfers the 44 shipping containers filled with this artwork to this foundation, who doesn't know what to do with it because it's been tied up for all these years. They have a ranch in Texas. They park it there.

[Alison Stewart]

And it was literally parked in Texas.

[Michael Goldberg]

It was sitting in this open field, 44 shipping containers containing all of this incredible experience, this magical artwork. And in 2019, I stumbled on a. There was a article about this. Somebody had written an article about. After seeing the original catalog on a art history blog called Mini Muse. I see this article and just couldn't believe what I was seeing. I just questioned, how could I not know about this? So I opened up a new tab and searched Luna Luna. And to my amazement, there wasn't anything there. So I walk into work the next day, and I start calling people in the art world, different stages, different age groups, and asking, do you know about Luna Luna? And every single person says, no, I don't know. What are you talking about? Tell me. So at that point, it seemed really odd. How could you have all of these incredible artists and put on an experience like this and nobody knows what it is? So I reached out to Andre Heller, sent him an email, introduced myself, let him know that I have a creative agency and was interested in bringing Luna Luna back doing a new iteration. And it took a little bit of time to get him on the phone. And really get the full story. But eventually I learned that all of the artwork still existed. It was sitting in these containers in Texas. So at that point, start running around, taking meetings. And one of the companies that we meet with is Drake's production company, DreamCrew. Luckily, they immediately fell in love in the same way that I did. They saw the vision, and a group of us came together. We bought back all of the artwork site unseen. So we didn't know the condition of any of these artworks.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, my gosh. Opening those containers must have been joyful and also terrifying.

[Michael Goldberg]

I'll never forget the feeling, the pit in my stomach of just, you know, the uncertainty. And to go back to the callers, you know, he brought up the posters and some of the merch that we found. So that was the very first container that we opened.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, my gosh.

[Michael Goldberg]

And what was so interesting about that being the first container is that some of the merchandise that was towards the bottom of the container, some sort of rodent got in and ripped up the merchandise to shred. So, you know, we're seeing that, and I'm, you know, I have my hands on my head, like, you know, just concerned and nervous. But then we continue to open up some of the other boxes, and the merchandise is literally like, it came from the factory yesterday. It's in the plastic. It's perfect. So it was a real cliffhanger. It wasn't until the next day that we come back and we open up the second shipping container. And that container had two elements of two of the artworks. There were the figures from the Keith Haring carousel. And I'll never forget, one of the handlebars that, you know, you would hold onto when you were riding the carousel was sticking out of the wrapping, and it was glistening. You could see the shine. It caught the light, and I just immediately knew we were in good shape. And then the team continued to unpack the container. And there was the Basquiat. The floorboard that people walk up, and the Basquiat Ferris wheel is all white, and this floorboard looked like it must have been painted two days ago.

[Alison Stewart]

Wow.

[Michael Goldberg]

It looked absolutely beautiful. So, you know, we continued to unpack things, and luckily enough, everything was in great condition. Condition.

[Alison Stewart]

We are talking about Luna Luna, the Forgotten Fantasy. It's now open at the shed through Sunday, January 5th. I'm speaking with Michael Goldberg. Excuse me, Chief creative director and experience officer. We say experience officer because you've had to make some changes. People can't ride the carousel, but they can engage with Luna. Luna. Explain some of the ways that they can engage with it, first, I'd say.

[Michael Goldberg]

Luna Luna is one of these projects that you could see images of it. It's not until you come down and actually experience it that you're going to understand it. And we, you know, like I mentioned, we've added this new commission, first time it's ever being shown by Poncilli Creation, which is incredible. We also have, you know, these roaming performers that really deeply engage with all of our guests. But then there's also this musical soundtrack that's choreographed with the rides, so the rides turn on and animate at different times. But the soundtrack that we've added, mixed with the performers, it really brings the show to life. And, you know, the soundtrack, it features some of the original artists like Miles Davis and Philip Glass, that were included to complement some of the works of the original Luna Luna. But we also have a new soundtrack that has been commissioned for this New York City show that features the likes of David Byrne, Andre 3000, Jamie XX, Danny. On the corner there is an absolute smash hit by. You hear this song I Don't Dance. But the second I hear this song, you definitely get the urge to. So definitely, you know, it really has expanded into this experience. And you get to learn in depth about the story, which I always like to say, it's one of those. It's a story that if you got the best writers in the world into a room, I don't know if they could come up with a wild story like this. It's something that's, like, almost too good to be true, but it is. And definitely, you know, come down and see what Lunar Lunar is all about.

[Alison Stewart]

What was the biggest challenge?

[Michael Goldberg]

There's a lot of challenges with a project like this, but I would say past the challenges, everyone that touches this project knows how special it is. So people are just so excited to give it their all and really come together to do everything they can to have this experience be shared by the public.

[Alison Stewart]

When you're thinking about how to. When you're thinking about access to art, and this costs money, we should say that. But when you're thinking about access to art, what does this show tell you about access to art.

[Michael Goldberg]

The power of art, and also the. What I love so much about this show is that you could be an expert and know everything there is to know about all of these artists. You could know nothing about art at all. You know, you don't even know who Basquiat is or who Keith Haring is. Salvador Dali. You're going to Come to Luna Luna, and I guarantee you're going to walk away with a smile, whether you're the art expert or you're the person that, you know, isn't familiar and doesn't really know about art. And it's rare that you have an experience that really speaks to both audiences. You could also be all different age groups, you know, 10, 20, 80. And I guarantee, you know, Luna Luna is going to leave a smile on your face. And one of my favorite things is, you know, just walking around and talking to people. And what I find so fascinating is that it's so rare that people talk about, you know, their favorite element of the show being the same thing. Everyone finds something that's personal to them, whether it's, you know, one of the moon drawings or an interaction that they had with one of the performers. And it's really rare that you have an experience that touches such a wide mix of people and that they leave all loving different things.

[Alison Stewart]

What's your favorite part?

[Michael Goldberg]

Tough question. I absolutely love the Andre Heller wedding Chapel. Just to see, you know, all the different ways that people engage with it. So at Andre Heller's wedding chapel, Andre originally created it because, you know, 1987, when it originally showed Berlin Wall is still up, you know, people couldn't freely, well, basically created it so people could get married to whomever or whatever they wanted. And we have kept that true today. So come on down. People could get married, and it's really fun.

[Alison Stewart]

People get married.

[Michael Goldberg]

Exactly.

[Alison Stewart]

Luna Luna. A Forgetting Fantasy is at the shed through Sunday, January 5th. I've been speaking with the show's chief creative and experience officer, Michael Goldberg. Thank you for coming in, Michael.

[Michael Goldberg]

Thank you, Allison. If you know your party's extension, press or say 1 to leave a message in our company mailbox. Press or say two. Spoiler alert. It will be full representative. Would you speak to your mother in that tone?

[Alison Stewart]

Speak to a real human being. You shouldn't need to shout into the void to get your health insurance questions answered. Pacific Source Health Plans. This is a real person. How can I help you? Human service, not automated phone trees. Pacific Source Health Plans.