carsten höller transforms LA warehouse into prada double club carnival wonderland

the double club los angeles presented by prada mode

Prada Mode presents the third edition of The Double Club, a creative venture by Carsten Höller, in partnership with Luna Luna, the world’s first traveling art carnival. The Double Club Los Angeles brings forth a unique site-specific installation that embodies key elements of Carsten Höller’s artistic style – the concept of duality and the essence of amusement found in carnival culture. In this rendition tailored for Los Angeles, Höller has transformed Luna Luna Studios, a spacious warehouse, into a whimsical landscape that delves into the theme of doubleness. The Luna Luna Studios are where the Luna Luna team unpacked and reconstructed art amusement park rides now seen in the adjacent Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy exhibition, enhancing the immersive experience for visitors.

Adding to the immersive experience, The Double Club Los Angeles features two days of musical performances curated by Carsten Höller and Drake. The installation welcomed the public as part of Luna Luna’s admission on March 9 – 10, 2024.

inside the Double Club Los Angeles | all images courtesy of Prada

Carsten Höller’s Journey from Luna Luna to Los Angeles

In 1987, Carsten Höller (find more here) visited the original Luna Luna (find more here) art amusement park in Hamburg, Germany, crafted by André Heller. The park boasted fully operational rides and sculptures by more than thirty renowned artists, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Salvador Dalí, Sonia Delaunay, Keith Haring, David Hockney, Rebecca Horn, and Roy Lichtenstein. Drawing inspiration from this experience, Höller incorporates elements of classic carnival attractions such as carousels, roller coasters, and spinning chair swings into The Double Club Los Angeles (find more here). Through this installation, he delves into the essence of carnival experiences, exploring themes of spectacle, joy, and awe through the contemporary lens of art.

The physical manifestation of the artwork begins with a single floor area and employs the mathematical principle of division by halving the footprint while doubling its height. This transformation yields nine distinct spaces for visitors to engage with, creating a multifaceted and immersive environment. The result sees a fully operational nightclub with DJ sets by renowned musical guests.

‘Let’s step onto this landscape based on the idea of endless divisions in half, a curious wonderland of a deconstructed amusement park containing real rides turning in slow motion, where the live music will play to, yes true, to dance the night away – this is big time fun research!’ says Baldo Hauser (one of Carsten Höller’s many pseudonyms).

Höller incorporates elements of classic carnival attractions such as carousels