On a breezy autumn day, I found myself walking toward Roosevelt Island for the first time, a place I had often gazed at from afar but never visited. This island, usually shrouded in mystery and overlooked by even the most seasoned New Yorkers, would now serve as the backdrop for one of the most extraordinary art installations I had ever encountered: Flower Market by Cj Hendry.
A Journey to the Unknown
The decision to take the F train to Roosevelt Island felt like an adventure in itself. While the train ride was brief, it seemed symbolic, like crossing an invisible boundary between the known and the unknown. A quick poll of friends revealed that many had never visited the island. Suddenly, I felt like an urban pioneer, exploring uncharted territory within my own city. But this wasn’t just a journey to any island—it was a pilgrimage to the southernmost tip of Roosevelt Island, Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park, where the Flower Market awaited.
Arriving at Four Freedoms State Park
Upon arrival, the weather was perfectly suited for an outdoor art exhibition—75°F with a cool breeze sweeping in from the East River. I made my way through the park, taking in the scenic views of the United Nations on one side and the iconic Pepsi-Cola sign on the other. This juxtaposition of past and present reflected the ethos of Hendry’s work: marrying the timeless with the modern.
As I trekked to the exhibition, I was greeted by a parade of greeters, each directing me closer to the immersive Flower Market experience. These interactions were plentiful and warm and felt almost ceremonial, like the opening acts of a grand performance. Before I even reached the installation, I had been welcomed four times—a testament to the meticulous planning and attention to detail that is the hallmark of Hendry’s work.
The Immersive Flower Market Experience
The market had a distinct energy, transforming the space into something entirely unexpected. Hendry’s collaboration with Clé de Peau Beauté and the Four Freedoms Park Conservancy had yielded a 120-foot by 40-foot greenhouse, filled to the brim with over 100,000 plush flowers. It was as if a child’s imagination had been brought to life on an extraordinary scale. These weren’t just any flowers, though; each was inspired by the botanicals used in Clé de Peau’s luxury beauty products, particularly the Radiant Lily, a central element in The Serum, one of the brand’s most iconic skincare products.
Childlike Wonder in a Grown-up World
Hendry’s decision to craft these plush flowers was no accident. In a recent interview, she mentioned how the childlike quality of plush toys resonated with her desire to evoke feelings of nostalgia and wonder in her audiences. “I have a tendency to create exhibitions that appeal to the child in all of us,” Hendry said. “By incorporating my childlike sensibility with the elegance and quality of Clé de Peau Beauté, we arrive at plush.” And it worked. Walking into the greenhouse, I quickly scanned the vibrant displays, thinking about which flowers I wanted to take home.
A Dreamscape of Beauty and Artifice
But this was no ordinary flower shop. It was a meticulously curated dreamscape to challenge our understanding of beauty and artifice. The flowers were not real, but the emotions they evoked were. The playful interaction of sight, touch, and emotion was pure magic, reminiscent of Hendry’s previous works like Plaid and Epilogue, where she transformed spaces into immersive worlds, each more fantastical than the last.
The Architectural Canvas: Four Freedoms State Park
The Flower Market was set against the architectural beauty of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park, a space that itself is a masterpiece. Designed by Louis Kahn, the park represents an intersection of nature, architecture, and history, much like Hendry’s exhibit. The greenhouse stood in stark contrast to its surroundings, a temporary installation that felt both entirely out of place and exactly where it needed to be.
Cj Hendry’s Hyper-Realistic Drawings
After soaking in the wonder of the plush flowers, I ventured to the exhibition’s core: Hendry’s hyper-realistic drawings. Each drawing captured its subject with such precision that it almost felt tangible. Hendry’s skill became evident not just in how lifelike the flowers appeared on the paper but also in how the entire experience—i.e., holding the plush versions while viewing the art—brought a new level of connection to her work.
Art as Commentary: Beyond the Surface
Cj Hendry’s art has always been about more than what meets the eye. Her work is a commentary on materialism, beauty, and the ways in which we interact with the world around us. In this case, she used flowers—a symbol of nature, beauty, and transience—and transformed them into something that could be touched, held, and taken home. Visitors were invited to “pick” a plush flower as a keepsake, a gesture that blurred the lines between art and consumerism, between the natural and the artificial.
Abundance and Gratitude
What struck me most was the abundance of it all. There were so many flowers and people, yet there was more than enough to go around. The market remained lush and full even after hours of people picking their allotted flowers and making purchases. This sense of abundance, of life, even in an artificial form, was profoundly moving. It was a celebration of beauty, of excess, of the joy that art can bring into our lives.
As the sun set, I approached the Roosevelt Island Tramway—another first. The ride offered a final panoramic view of the city and the island. At that moment, I felt a deep sense of gratitude—not only for the experience of the exhibition but also for the way it had brought me to this overlooked corner of New York. Hendry’s work, once again, had expanded my view of the world, inviting me to see beauty where I hadn’t before.
Conclusion: The Lingering Magic of Flower Market
In the end, Flower Market wasn’t just about the flowers. It was about the experience, the journey, the way art can take us out of our ordinary lives and immerse us in something extraordinary. With her characteristic blend of hyperrealism and whimsy, Cj Hendry has once again crafted an experience that lingers long after the last flower has been picked.
Learn More
WHERE: Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, Roosevelt Island
WHEN: September 13 – September 15, 10am – 5pm.
TICKETS: FREE and open to the public! Each attendee receives one flower for FREE. Each additional flower is $5.
Visit https://cjhendrystudio.com or Follow @cj_hendry on Instagram
