Cj Hendry on Her Immersive Flower Market Exhibition
The Flower Market is the perfect intersection of her art, luxury, architecture, and childlike wonder.
Photography by Cj Hendry
We all know and love Cj Hendry for her physical and 3D artworks. Last week, the multihyphenate Australian artist continued that legacy with Flower Market, an exhibition of various plush flowers. In collaboration with skincare brand Clé de Peau Beauté and the Four Freedoms Park Conservancy, the Roosevelt Island event revealed Hendry’s hands-on pieces that visitors could pick as if they were real flowers. She created everything from plush sunflowers, gladiolus, mums, and tulips to snapdragons — and we can’t leave out that Martha Stewart appeared at the event to pick out some flowers as well.
“The inspiration for Flower Market is rooted in Clé de Peau Beauté’s extraordinary products,” Hendry says. “The natural beauty and elegance of flowers became a focal point early on, as it connected my long-standing fascination with florals and the botanical elements in their skincare. I wanted to take that and twist it—create an artificial yet magical environment filled with plush flowers. The idea was to evoke this childlike sense of wonder. As soon as the concept clicked, we were like, ‘Okay, how do we pull this off on a massive scale?’ From there, we built this insane, oversized greenhouse, filled it with tens of thousands of plush flowers, and brought it to life.”
Because Clé de Peau Beauté specializes in quality and craftsmanship, Hendry says she was thrilled to work with the skincare brand. What began as a small-scale idea that soon turned into a full-scale collaboration, Hendry knew she wanted to collaborate with a brand that resonated with her and her work. The Four Freedoms Park Conservancy rarely hosts partnerships like that of the Flower Market, and Hendry says she felt privileged to work in such a beautiful and fitting space for the exhibition.
Photography by Cj Hendry and Antonio Ajam
“Plush flowers felt right because they’re tactile and nostalgic, appealing to the child in all of us,” she says. “When you see these giant, soft flowers, your instinct is to touch them, hold them, and interact with them. It’s an experience, not just something to look at. I wanted to create a space that was joyful, where people could lose themselves in this bizarre, beautiful world. It’s about taking viewers out of their ordinary and leaving them with a sense of wonder.”
Each plush flower creation was chosen with intention. For instance, The Radiant Lily was inspired by a key ingredient in Clé de Peau Beauté’s “The Serum.” Because the Flower Market took place on Roosevelt Island, Hendry based some of the flowers on the Roosevelt family’s legacy and history. She crafted the yellow Eleanor Roosevelt Rose and Peonies as it had ties to the Roosevelt family farm.
“The creative process was immersive and fun,” Hendry says. “We spent a lot of time exploring the Flower District in Chelsea, choosing just the right elements to bring these plush flowers to life. It was about finding the perfect balance between Clé de Peau Beauté’s essence and my own vision. And, of course, the scale was everything. Creating something this large, we needed to think about how every element would fit into the overall experience, from the greenhouse structure to the placement of the flowers.”
Hendry has broken barriers and boundaries every time she unveils a new exhibition. The Flower Market, in particular, is the perfect intersection of her art, luxury, architecture, and childlike wonder. It’s a continuous journey and exploration, and she’s always looking for ways to merge different art elements.
