Cj Hendry's 'Pastel' Exhibit: A Million-Bead Interactive Experience at Salon 94
Cj Hendry's latest artistic endeavor, 'Pastel,' redefines the conventional gallery experience by immersing visitors in a colossal pool of approximately one million pastel-hued beads. This captivating exhibition, hosted at Salon 94 Design in New York's Upper East Side from August 6th to 16th, showcases a playful universe crafted from tiny beads shaped like unicorns, rocking horses, shrimp, skulls, and lips. The artist invites attendees to physically engage with the artwork, encouraging them to step, or even dive, into this expansive, swimming pool-sized pit of colorful plastic components.
The concept for this unique installation originated from Hendry's observation of a beading room at Space Club, a children's indoor play area in Brooklyn. There, she noticed how both children and adults instinctively plunged into trays of beads, seeking out hidden treasures and enjoying the tactile experience. Inspired by this spontaneous interaction, Hendry decided to magnify the 'bead tray' to an impressive scale, creating a pit roughly 20 by 30 feet and over two feet deep, making it an accessible and interactive art piece.
The artist emphasizes the childlike and playful essence embedded in all her exhibitions, noting that her creative process naturally gravitates towards such elements. Visitors to 'Pastel' are provided with Cj Hendry-branded socks to navigate the bead pit comfortably. They can then string together their own bracelets or necklaces, or simply collect a few beads as mementos. Each bead is priced at one dollar, or a canister of 75 can be purchased for fifty dollars, a whimsical approach to art sales that Hendry acknowledges is a departure for Salon 94.
As a prominent figure on Instagram with a substantial following, Hendry has cultivated a diverse audience that often extends beyond the typical gallery-goer. She deliberately chose Salon 94, a renowned and traditional gallery, as the venue for 'Pastel,' seeing the juxtaposition of her unconventional work within such a formal setting as inherently 'absurd' yet compelling. This strategic placement aims to bridge the gap between her unique artistic world and the established art institution, highlighting the importance of experimentation and audience engagement within the art community.
Beyond the immersive bead pit, which occupies the entire first floor, the exhibition also features Hendry's distinctive photorealistic drawings and sculptures on the upper level of the gallery. 'Pastel' offers a multi-faceted experience, blending interactive play with traditional artistic forms, thereby challenging perceptions of what constitutes contemporary art.