“Where the Ferris Wheel Is by Basquiat and the Carousel by Keith Haring” – The New York Times

Featured in The New York Times, this piece documents the return of Luna Luna, a 1987 art carnival where Jean-Michel Basquiat painted a Ferris wheel, Keith Haring created a carousel, and other icons like Salvador Dalí, David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein, and Kenny Scharf contributed immersive installations. Originally built in Hamburg, Germany, Luna Luna was stored away for decades—until now.

Reimagined in a warehouse complex, the revived carnival has drawn a wide mix of visitors: art insiders, families, and curious fans who heard about the experience through social media. The space feels part museum, part dreamscape. Basquiat’s wheel turns slowly to the sound of Miles Davis. Haring’s carousel sits still but radiates energy. Nearby, visitors enter mirrored domes, neon-lit chapels, and painted pavilions.

The rides are no longer operational—preserved as artworks rather than attractions—but the experience still moves people. Between installations, performers in feathers and face paint mingle with guests. At a chapel conceived by André Heller, visitors can be “married” to whomever—or whatever—they choose.

The article captures both the wonder and the unexpected emotional pull of Luna Luna. For many, seeing Basquiat’s Ferris wheel in motion again feels like witnessing a page of history turn—still vibrant, still alive.

Read the full article on The New York Times

Image by B. Ferry, courtesy of Luna Luna