Salon 94 Design + Cj Hendry present Pastel, a new series and interactive installation where the audience is invited to participate in the concept shop and take a piece of the experience home. At the heart of Pastel is an immersive hands-on installation: a massive
pit filled with pastel-colored beads, all connected to Hendry’s signature visual world. Beloved characters such as Juju and Balloon Dog are at play with her distinctive flowers and smiley faces. Visitors are invited to reach in and create their own collection to string on a bracelet, necklace, or charm — a participatory experience that extends Hendry’s long-standing commitment to her audience in real-time. Drawings and editions of iconic imagery will also be on view, alongside her trademark swag including caps, t-shirts, jewelry trunks, leather trays, and acrylic keyrings.
For over a decade, Hendry has built an independent global campaign through large-scale installations, experiential activations, and direct-to-public releases. Working outside of the normative art establishment, her activations have reached huge audiences around the world (with upwards of a million followers on Instagram), many of whom find meaningful experiences outside of museums and traditional art galleries. With Pastel, Hendry builds a bridge between her bold grassroots practice and Salon 94 Design — a collaboration that brings together a fun, engaging event in our building with a charismatic maker exploring audience connection across formats.
At the heart of Pastel is a hands-on installation: a massive pit filled with pastel-colored beads, all connected to Hendry’s signature visual world. Beloved characters such as juju and Balloon Dog are at play with the artist’s distinctive flowers and smiley faces. Visitors are invited to reach in and create their own collection to string on a bracelet, necklace, or charm — a participatory experience that extends Hendry’s long-standing commitment to her audience in real-time. Drawings and editions of iconic imagery will also be on view, alongside her trademark swag including caps, t-shirts, jewelry trunks, leather trays, and acrylic keyrings.
For over a decade, Hendry has built an independent global campaign through large-scale installations, experiential activations, and direct-to-public releases. Working outside of the normative art establishment, her activations have reached huge audiences around the world (with upwards of a million followers on Instagram.), many who have never been inside a museum or traditional art gallery. With Pastel, Hendry builds a bridge between her bold grassroots practice and the gallery system — a collaboration sparked when art market expert and Yale lecturer Magnus Resch introduced Hendry to Salon 94 Design founder Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn.
“Salon 94 Design understands the importance of experimentation and audience connection,” said Hendry. “This exhibition creates a bridge between the world I’ve built and a more traditional gallery context.”
“I am interested in how artists invent their own currency – from one dollar to millions. We are impressed by the scale of her following, her self-directed marketing, and her ability to connect with people across traditional boundaries,” said Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn. “This is a fun, engaging event in our building with a charismatic maker.”
“Cj has built an extraordinary audience independently, and Pastel shows how established galleries and entrepreneurial artists can work together to create something meaningful for new audiences, a new generation of collectors, and the broader public,” said Magnus Resch.
Pastel by Cj Hendry + Salon 94 Design
August 6 – August 16, 2026
11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
3 East 89 St
New York, NY
Cj Hendry
Cj Hendry (b. 1988) is a New York-based artist from Brisbane, Australia, known for her hyper-realistic drawings and immersive, experiential exhibitions. Her work explores material culture and transforms everyday objects into playful, thought-provoking installations—from an Olympic-sized pool in the Mojave Desert to a bustling flower market in Brooklyn.
With celebrity collectors, sold-out shows worldwide, and a waitlist of over 3,000, Hendry has become one of the most sought-after artists working today.
