Next week popular Australian artist CJ Hendry’s newest show opens in Brooklyn, NY in the form of an immersive playground. The experience is entitled Plaid, while the playground itself was created to mimic the classic pattern of plaid.
The exhibition space is 5,000 sq ft and 2 stories, allowing a lot of room for fun and adventure. Hendry wanted to create an atmosphere of nostalgia and says, “Plaid encourages the viewer to connect with the inner child and experience the simplicity of joy before growing up and feeling the burden of adulthood.”
Her inspiration for the design came from public parks; she began to wonder how she could create a public art sculpture in the form of a playground. It didn’t take long to think through the difficulties of creating a public playground; Hendry says her “practice is autonomous and trying to work with a government body on a park project presents many challenges. So, I said, f**k it! I’ll do it myself!”
And that she did. Along with the interactive playground experience, 24 unique works of art that Hendry produced to mirror the bright lights that direct visitors throughout the area serve as a complement to the experience. Admission will be $10 and includes a pair of Plaid grip socks as you enter the venue. Hendry’s interactive playground exhibit will be open next week, from April 17th to the 23rd, in Greenpoint, Brooklyn on Newel Street.