In 1987, the world witnessed the birth of a dazzling fantasy—Luna Luna, the first art amusement park, opened in Hamburg, Germany. Conceived by Austrian artist André Heller, this enchanting carnival featured rides and installations designed by icons like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Roy Lichtenstein, and Sonia Delaunay. Though it dazzled visitors briefly, the dream faded, and for 36 years, Luna Luna’s vibrant structures sat packed away in storage in Texas. But in 2023, the forgotten fantasy was reborn in Los Angeles and now mesmerizes New York audiences at The Shed.

The exhibition features a stunning revival of original pieces: Basquiat’s Ferris wheel, inspired by his baboon imagery; Haring’s carousel with cartoon-like seats; Hockney’s magical Enchanted Tree; and Lichtenstein’s kaleidoscopic glass labyrinth. Kenny Scharf’s swinging carousel is surrounded by six comic sculptures and over 100 paintings. Salvador Dalí contributes a reflective pavilion, Sonia Delaunay designed a gatehouse, and August Walla hand-painted a whimsical circus car. Each piece is paired with a custom soundtrack composed by legends like Philip Glass, Miles Davis, and Herbert von Karajan, adding an immersive sonic layer to the experience.

Some artists traveled to West Germany to create on-site, while others mailed their designs to Vienna, where a team brought their visions to life. A tribute booth to Andy Warhol—who had planned to participate before his death—features photo ops with figures like Marilyn Monroe and Albert Einstein, in homage to his iconic “15 minutes of fame” concept. Heller himself contributed original works, including the “wedding pavilion” and the “head hole in the wall,” and created a manifesto honoring Joseph Beuys.

In 2023, Phaidon released the first English edition of the Luna Luna book, with an updated foreword from Heller. Originally intended to tour Europe and the U.S. in the late '80s, the park saw a short display in San Diego in 1991 before vanishing for decades. Thanks to Drake’s DreamCrew and Live Nation, Luna Luna returned in 2022 for a global tour, currently showcasing about half of the original 30 attractions. Though the rides are no longer operational for safety reasons, the spirit of wonder remains alive, as one visitor remarked, “Basquiat’s surreal Ferris wheel made my head spin. Long live Luna Luna!”

Running parallel to Luna Luna’s rebirth is a major retrospective of Kenny Scharf, showcasing over 70 works from his prolific career. Known for his psychedelic, surreal compositions filled with cartoonish energy, Scharf was a central figure in New York’s East Village art scene in the 1980s. Pieces like When the Worlds Collide (1984) illustrate his chaotic, joyful style, while later works such as Baccanalba (Alba Clemente) (2003) reveal more intimate, personal themes. Pulled from institutions like The Whitney and The Broad, this exhibition highlights Scharf’s continued relevance and influence on pop-surrealist art.

Scharf himself describes his art as “pop surrealism,” explaining, “Surrealism is about the subconscious, and my subconscious is full of pop imagery.” His work bridges the fantastical and the familiar, tapping into a collective imagination shaped by mass media and dreamlike aesthetics.

Meanwhile, Winter Jazzfest 2025 brings New York alive with rhythm and soul. Held from January 9–15 across Manhattan and Brooklyn, the festival hosts nearly 150 bands and over 600 musicians. Since its founding in 2005 by Brice Rosenbloom, the event has served as a platform for innovation, diversity, and social consciousness. Its signature “Marathon” nights invite audiences on immersive musical journeys across multiple venues.

Makaya McCraven stands out this year for her boundary-pushing blend of live improvisation and experimental production. Her performances showcase the evolving language of jazz, bridging traditional roots with contemporary expression. French-Caribbean singer and bassist Adi Oasis brings her soulful debut album Lotus Glow to life, infusing funk, futuristic beats, and powerful narratives drawn from her experience as a black immigrant artist in America.

Isaiah Collier, a multi-instrumentalist known for his dynamic saxophone and drumming, emerges as a visionary voice in the genre. His thoughtful, spiritually charged performances highlight the genre’s expansive possibilities. Jon Batiste, famed for his emotive piano work, captures the heart of jazz’s New Orleans origins while pushing forward with grace and originality.

Together, these events—Luna Luna’s dreamlike revival, Kenny Scharf’s kaleidoscopic legacy, and Winter Jazzfest’s dynamic soundscape—embody the spirit of reinvention and artistic freedom. They celebrate the past while creating space for bold new visions, reminding us that art, in all its forms, never truly fades—it simply waits to be reborn.