Cj Hendry: Public Pool
The artist made her Nevada debut — and it’s worth the splash.
“Public Pool” by CJ Hendry Studio
While driving through a barren desert landscape, it is not uncommon for a mirage to appear in the sea of sand and Joshua Trees. Our eyes may trick us into thinking images in the distance are more realistic than they appear, but sometimes illusions are tangible. Roughly an hour outside of Las Vegas, those traversing the Mojave desert towards California were treated to a scene that was more magical than fiction and completely real. At the Sandy Valley Ranch, artist Cj Hendry appeared like a flower emerging from a dreary winter with her latest exhibition, “Public Pool.” On view from April 5th to the 7th, the sprawling installation included a 50-meter-long inflatable pool filled with a colorful array of floating flowers, surrounded by rows of lounge chairs and umbrellas to serve as a rest stop for weary travelers.
The premise of this work is a tribute to the essence of Las Vegas, a lively, colorful atmosphere with Hendry’s signature cheeky touch. Las Vegas had always served as an oasis of revelry for people around the world to retreat to for relaxation and otherworldly fantasy. Must-see performances, Michelin-star dining, and maximum excess of every indulgence under the sun keep visitors returning to Sin City year after year. Hendry wanted to revitalize the desolate landscape with eye-catching green, blue, pink, and white flowers far from the typical vegetation growing in the arid soil.
Hendry’s exhibitions always capture an audience. Her work is approachable for anyone to engage with, as her skill in retaining a crowd's attention matches the mastery of her hyper-photorealistic drawings of quotidian objects like Diet Coke cans and shopping bags. Much like the city of Las Vegas, Hendry’s exhibits hinge on being activated through the participation of visitors. For one of her past exhibitions titled “Monochrome,” she and her team crafted an entire “home” within a warehouse. Each room was swathed in monochromatic furnishings, wall paint, and her drawings of corresponding Pantone chips that set the color tones for each space. In another work, titled “Rorschach,” guests were required to bounce through a gigantic, stark-white padded bounce house maze to view her detailed drawings of orchid-esque paint forms named after suspense films.
“Public Pool” by CJ Hendry Studio
“Public Pool” reinforces the playful charm of Las Vegas through Hendry’s whimsical, singular lens. The cherry on top accenting this installation is the road sign, rendered in the recognizable government-sanctioned green. It features one of the signature flowers depicted in nearly every aspect of the work, so travelers know they are headed in the right direction. Stumbling upon a pool is not common in Las Vegas, despite the notoriously brutal summer heat. They are generally sequestered in the confines of private properties for those who can afford access maintenance if you have an in with someone at one of the ritzy hotels. This public respite certainly seems like an illusion, but the hot pink flamingos and neon inflatables are refreshingly real.
On “Public Pool,” Hendry says, “I love the vivacity of Las Vegas and the duality of the desert together. I hope this exhibition sparks joy, connection, and a sense of wonder for everyone who dives into the experience.”
To commemorate this installation, a select number of limited-edition drawings of pool inflatables cheekily named after gentlemen's clubs around Las Vegas, editioned resin sculptures of miniature floaty flowers, beach towels, hats, and t-shirts, went on sale on her website on April 7th at 7 p.m. EST for visitors and online nomads to have a reminder of warmer weather all year long.
