Unit 23 Proto-Bimbo Town?

Entrance to Unit 23, off Upper Clapton Road (Photo by Douglas Cape)

I helped Jim on various projects from around the end of 1985 until 1992 although most actively between 1986-1987, in the period between his figures being used in the Herbie Hancock video and his move to German speaking countries after Luna Luna in Hamburg during the Summer of 1987. During that earlier time, he had 3 studios including: various rooms in his home on Archway Road; a loft space above car mechanics on York Way in Kings Cross, while making the Avenue of Aspiration installation; and then Unit 23 off Upper Clapton Road, while making the Mechanical Theatre for Luna Luna in Hamburg.

Video résumé Jim Whitings’ work (1976 to 2012)

I found Jim’s user profile on Vimeo today that includes a resume of his work from 1976-2012, which suggests he has a video footage of a lots of shows and installations, including Luna Luna and Avenue of Aspiration that have been having trouble finding. It even contains a short clip of the Robot from the Living End film pilot he made for Godley & Creme, and the description also mentions the following shows: Ars Electronica, Unnatural Bodies, BimboTown, Robodonia, The Rotters and “other smaller exhibitions.” I will see if I can get hold of the individual clips to post on here but in the meantime

Video Clips and stills from Luna Luna

I found this photo above from a blog post by William Poundstone asking whether the relaunched Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy was worth it (see here), having helped Jim build the original show, install it and then help operate it in Hamburg back in 1987, it is shame that the new version just displays some of the figures on clothes rails rather than has the working version of the installation.

Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy Artist Profile

Jim Whiting”s preparatory sketches for Mechanical Theater exhibited at Luna Luna in Hamburg (1987)

Jim’s Maschinentheater installation from the original 1987 Luna Luna art amusement Park curated by André Heller is not featured in it’s recent relaunch as Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy in Los Angeles, although some of the figures that featured are displayed statically. However, they do provide the following artist profile on their site with some photographs of the original exhibit, as well as preparatory sketches here: