CJ Hendry and Salon 94 Design Present Pastel
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A Participatory CJ Hendry Exhibition Connecting Drawing, Design, Collecting, and Public Engagement at Salon 94 Design
From August 6 through 16, 2026, Salon 94 Design presents Pastel, a new exhibition by contemporary artist CJ Hendry. The project brings Hendry’s audience-focused practice into a gallery setting while retaining the accessible, interactive format that has shaped much of her work.
Hendry is widely known for hyperrealistic drawings, large installations, and projects that invite viewers to engage beyond traditional gallery viewing. Her work has reached a large international audience through direct releases and social media, often attracting people who may not regularly visit museums or commercial galleries. Pastel continues that approach, but places it within the established program of Salon 94 Design.
The exhibition also marks a new collaboration between Hendry and Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn, founder of Salon 94 and Salon 94 Design. Their connection began through art-market scholar, entrepreneur, and Yale lecturer Magnus Resch. The partnership considers how independent artists and galleries can work together while reaching different types of audiences.
An Installation Made for Participation
At the center of Pastel is a large installation filled with pastel-colored beads. Visitors are invited to select beads and create a personal piece, choosing to make a bracelet, necklace, or charm. This practical activity changes the usual pace of a gallery visit. Rather than only looking at art, guests are asked to make choices, use their hands, and leave with something they assembled themselves.
The bead installation draws from familiar parts of Hendry’s visual language. Characters such as juju and Balloon Dog appear alongside her flowers and smiley faces. These recurring images connect the exhibition to work that many of Hendry’s followers already know, while giving first-time visitors an introduction to her style.
The project is not presented as a workshop separate from the art. The making process is part of the exhibition itself. Each visitor’s selection creates a small, individual response to Hendry’s imagery, and the experience places personal taste at the center of the encounter.
Drawings, Editions, and Objects
Alongside the installation, Pastel includes drawings and editions featuring Hendry’s recognizable imagery. These works offer another way to consider an artist often associated with ambitious public installations. Her drawings require close attention, particularly because of their technical detail and controlled surfaces.
The exhibition will also feature a selection of Hendry’s branded objects, including caps, T-shirts, jewelry trunks, leather trays, and acrylic keyrings. Their presence reflects a central part of her wider practice. Hendry has long treated editions, merchandise, and collectible objects as connected elements rather than separate categories.
That approach can raise useful questions about authorship, access, and value. In a conventional gallery model, viewers may encounter art primarily as an object to observe or acquire. In Hendry’s model, the audience can also participate through experiences, editions, and everyday items. Pastel gives visitors an opportunity to see how these formats function together in one setting.
Independent Practice Meets Design
For more than a decade, Hendry has built her career outside many standard art-world pathways. She has developed projects directly for her audience, combining strong visual identity with event-based formats. Her work has gained attention not only for its realism, but also for its ability to create a clear connection between artist and public.
Salon 94 Design offers a fitting context for this next stage. The gallery is known for presenting work across art, design, and culture, making it an appropriate venue for an exhibition that includes drawing, objects, participation, and collecting. The collaboration does not position one model as more important than the other. Instead, it shows what can happen when different approaches meet.
Resch’s involvement also adds an art-market perspective to the project. His work has examined how artists build visibility, sustain independent careers, and create value beyond conventional systems. In Pastel, those conversations are made visible through the exhibition’s format, not only through its stated ideas. EXHIBITION DETAILS:
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
A Reason to Visit
Pastel is worth visiting because it offers more than a standard viewing experience. It gives guests a chance to spend time with Hendry’s drawings and editions, understand the broader scope of her practice, and take part in an installation that requires direct involvement.
For collectors, design audiences, and curious first-time gallery visitors, the exhibition provides a clear look at how contemporary art can be shared across formats. It also offers a limited opportunity to see Hendry’s independent visual world in dialogue with Salon 94 Design’s gallery program. For more on CJ Hendry, follow her on Instagram.