A new seasonal gallery space dedicated to Coney Island’s vibrant arts and culture scene debuted Memorial Day Weekend with free exhibits from two Brooklyn artists inside the Coney Island History Project. 

The Wonder Gallery — a partnership between Prachute Literary Arts and the Coney Island History Project — officially opened May 23 at the History Project’s Exhibit Center, located at 3059 West 12th St. beside the Wonder Wheel. 

The exhibit will be open from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend.Photo courtesy of Coney Island History Project

The inaugural season will feature documentary photography by Brooklyn-born artist Anders Goldfarb alongside “The Coney Island Zine Machine,” a new interactive installation showcasing miniature zines by Sheepshead Bay artist Kelly Luu. 

The gallery will remain open weekends and holidays from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. through Labor Day, with free admission for all visitors.

In a statement, Charles Denson and Amanda Deutsch, co-founders of the Wonder Gallery, reflected on Coney Island’s rich history. 
Goldfarb’s photographs of Coney Island will be on display.Photo by Anders Goldfarb, courtesy of the Coney Island History Project

“Coney Island has a long history as a source of inspiration for artists, photographers, and writers. We are thrilled to share our new Wonder Gallery, a space that highlights Coney Island’s cultural and ecological aspects,” they said.

This season showcases two Brooklyn artists with unique perspectives of Coney Island.

Goldfarb’s exhibit presents black-and-white photographs taken throughout Coney Island during the late 1970s and early 1980s. A lifelong Brooklyn resident, Goldfarb documented beachgoers, neighborhood residents and longtime boardwalk regulars during a period of transition. 

Using a Rolleiflex and Leica camera, Goldfarb also captured now-lost architecture and off-season gatherings of longtime locals at neighborhood bars. His work spans more than four decades of documentary photography and has been exhibited nationally and internationally. Goldfarb also assisted renowned photographer Saul Leiter for many years and currently teaches photography at Pace University in Manhattan. 

Kelly Luu’s (right) Mini Zine Machine is available for visitors at the Wonder Gallery.Photos courtesy of Coney Island History Project and Kelly Luu

Luu’s contribution to the exhibit offers a more playful and personal look at Coney Island through pocket-sized mini-zines dispensed from the Zine Machine in plastic capsules. The collection includes tiny Dreamland postcards, artwork inspired by the annual Nathan’s hot dog eating contest and “Coney Island Baby,” a zine reflecting on Luu’s childhood memories growing up around the neighborhood.

A self-described “Coney Island baby,” Luu works across photography, book arts, letterpress and zine-making. She currently serves as the Mishkin Gallery’s Nagelberg Fellow and interns at the Center for Book Arts.

In addition to the new Wonder Gallery exhibits, visitors to the Coney Island History Project can also explore historic artifacts, photographs, maps, films and memorabilia chronicling the area’s colorful past. Guests can also take souvenir photos with “Cy,” the Spook-A-Rama Cyclops, and the original Steeplechase horse from the historic Steeplechase Park ride.

For more information about the exhibits or the Wonder Gallery, organizers encourage visitors to contact the Coney Island History Project at events@coneyislandhistory.org.