The FlowerMarket by Cj Hendry, ahead of the hordes of guests that would arrive for two consecutive days on Roosevelt Island.
Cj HendryTalk about a blooming success.
On September 13, 14 and 15, Australian contemporary artist Cj Hendry turned Roosevelt Island (and also Industry City, Brooklyn) into her own flower market.
To the delight of those with allergies, and perhaps the chagrin of the bees, these particular “flowers” last forever — as they were made entirely of soft, plush fabric.
The plush flowers were organized by type, as more than 20 varieties were brought over for the event.
Cj HendryFor each attendee, not only was admission free, but the first flower “picked” was also a gratis gift. All subsequent flowers were priced at $5 each, and once ready to leave, wrapped up in floral paper and tied with a ribbon as in a traditional flower shop.
“New York is where so many of my projects have come to life—it has an energy that pushes creativity forward. I wanted to create something fresh and immersive here, and the city just felt like the right canvas,” said Hendry. “Industry City for Sunday was a great shift because it’s this creative hub, and it gave the final day a different vibe—more industrial, more grounded, but still very much alive.”
The art itself was indeed a sight to be seen—the exhibit featured 21 different types of flora from sunflowers to calla lilies—but the most powerful and striking image was that of the sheer mass of folks who came to support Hendry and pluck a pretty petal for themselves.
After wrapping around the outside of the building twice, the view from inside the event space was only a halfway point, as attendees had more than two hours to wait.
Sophie CannonSeptember 13 was the official public launch, after the media and VIP preview the night before saw the likes of Martha Stewart, and took place on New York’s Roosevelt Island. However, the following day’s crowd grew like a weed, and resulted in the FDR Four Freedoms State Park reaching capacity in just over an hour.
“We had around 20,000 people come through during the three days,” said Hendry. “The turnout was beyond what I expected—it felt like the whole city came out for it.”
According to the Roosevelt Islander, more than 5,000 attendees arrived at the Roosevelt Island gates on the morning of day two and thus shut down the park due to overcrowding. Those lucky enough to arrive early did indeed get flowers, but only after a three-hour wait once successfully inside.
“Social media was huge,” Hendry added. “It’s part of what made the event take off, honestly. People shared their experiences, posted their flowers, and it spread like wildfire. The reach on social media just amplified everything and brought more people than we anticipated.”
Because NYPD had to shut down the floral festivities, the team behind Cj Hendry’s exhibit quickly pivoted, and had an incredible final day on September 15 at Industry City in Brooklyn. While a warehouse was not the initial concept, it didn’t stop the same size crowds from flocking to the flowers, lining up (and down) the blocks surrounding the commercial event space in Sunset Park.
Just three of the 21 varieties of plush blooms available at the flower market, with each flower more unique and playful than the next.
Sophie Cannon“I thought people would be into it, but the response blew me away,” said Hendry. “It turned into this whole communal thing, where people were lining up, talking, and really engaging with the work and each other. That’s what made it so special.”
Unlike typical mobs at a music festival or sample sale that frequently get violent and angry, the attendees at Hendry’s flower market were calm, cool and collected, at least from what was observed while in Industry City. Perhaps this was because of the informative and cheery staff, clad in custom t-shirts but also perhaps because of the calming presence of plush flowers—the art community kept it classy and the NYPD were not needed on the final day of the exhibition.
A woman at the Roosevelt Island opening event, choosing her plush bouquet.
Cj HendryThe draw of the event was of course partly due to the promise of a free piece of art to bring home, but the actual event was free art within itself; it created a community, even just for three hours in line, of likeminded people in a typically busy and individualistic city.
“I think what really stood out to me during ‘FlowerMarket’ was the way people connected with each other. The art became a bridge for conversations and shared experiences,” said Hendry. “It wasn’t just about taking home a drawing—it was about the atmosphere, the fun, and how people engaged with the whole event. That’s what made it feel so special. Free, interactive art creates memories, and that’s something money can’t buy.”
