Cj hendry's flower market opens in NYC, inviting visitors to pick a plush blossom

A Unique Floral Experience at Roosevelt Island

Contemporary artist Cj Hendry brings her latest immersive installation, Flower Market, to FDR Four Freedoms State Park on New York’s Roosevelt Island. In collaboration with global luxury beauty brand Clé de Peau Beauté and the Four Freedoms Park Conservancy, this large-scale exhibition invites visitors to explore and interact with a vibrant greenhouse filled with thousands of plush flowers.

Inspired by the natural botanicals found in Clé de Peau Beauté’s skincare products, Hendry’s Flower Market is a 120-foot by 40-foot greenhouse featuring 100,000 individually crafted plush flowers. The artist references Ralph Waldo Emerson, quoting the poet: ‘Many eyes go through the meadow, but few see the flowers in it.’ The installation transforms this sentiment into a physical experience, inviting visitors to walk among the vibrant, hand-crafted blooms.

images © Cj Hendry Studio

cj hendry’s flower market has historical roots

Visitors to the Flower Marker on Roosevelt Island will encounter plush blossoms, along with twelve original drawings by Cj Hendry, created specifically for the Flower Market. Guests are encouraged to take home a plush flower as a keepsake. For those unable to visit in person, the artist has created a virtual flower market, where participants can design their own personalized plush lily.

The exhibition also pays homage to the Roosevelt family with a curated bouquet reflecting their legacy. The yellow Eleanor Roosevelt Rose, tulips representing the family’s Dutch heritage, and red roses — a nod to the ‘Roosevelt’ name — are among the flowers on display. Meanwhile, peonies, a signature flower from the Roosevelt farm, are part of this symbolic bouquet.

Hendry draws parallels between her work and the design philosophy of Louis Kahn, the architect behind Four Freedoms Park. ‘When Kahn designed this memorial, he said, ‘The garden is somehow a personal kind of control of nature,’ Hendry recalls. She sees her exhibition as an extension of this concept, creating an environment where visitors can step out of their ordinary lives and into a space that is both immersive and playful. ‘I hope Flower Market inspires joy and beauty well after the greenhouse is empty, every time we see flowers — plush or otherwise.’

Cj Hendry’s Flower Market occupies a 120-foot by 40-foot greenhouse filled with 100,000 plush flowers

a Floral Meadow Inspired by Clé de Peau Beauté

The partnership with Clé de Peau Beauté stems from a shared appreciation for fine craftsmanship. Hendry notes how one particular botanical, the Radiant Lily, which features in Clé de Peau Beauté’s The Serum, inspired her work. ‘The meticulous craftsmanship in CPB’s products really resonates with me and mirrors my own process,’ she explains.

Alessio Rossi, Executive Vice President of Clé de Peau Beauté US Marketing, is excited about the collaboration with Hendry. ‘This partnership embodies the essence of our brand, known for its intelligence, uncompromising standards, and exquisite quality,’ Rossi says. He emphasizes how Hendry’s ability to engage audiences through her craftsmanship aligns with the values of the beauty brand.

Howard Axel, CEO of the Four Freedoms Park Conservancy, adds, ‘We were immediately excited to work with such an exceptional contemporary artist as Cj Hendry and help share her magical work with tens of thousands of visitors.’ Axel believes Hendry’s Flower Market captures the spirit of Kahn’s original vision for the park, designed to be a place of ‘inspired use.’

visitors can explore the lush greenhouse, and each guest is invited to take home a free plush flower as a keepsake