Cj Hendry Builds an Instagram-Friendly Adult Indoor Playground in Brooklyn

Two years in the making, the “Plaidground” spans 5,000 square feet and features Hendry’s version of a host of childhood delights from slides to swings to merry-go-rounds. They’re all rendered in white, while the structure itself is created from padded scaffolding in bright colors. No detail was left untouched, from the plaid socks visitors are given in exchange for surrendering their shoes upon entry, to the plaid-branded merchandise (puzzles and scarves) and even the color-coordinated zip-ties used to fasten padding onto the scaffolding.

All of Hendry’s very Instagram-friendly installations start with, and build upon, a drawing. In this case, it’s hyper-realistic drawings of what look like painted plaids. “I’ve always liked the idea of drawing paint,” she notes. “I’ve done it a few times, but this time I’ve done it a little differently. It’s not as thick and juicy, it’s more flat.” These works hang in a room adjacent to the Plaidground; there are 20 original drawings (from $19,500) as well a series of editions that change color as the viewer moves from left to right ($750 each), which officially “drop” at 7 p.m. on April 20.

She says she’s “really enjoyed the process of building these bigger installations the last couple of years because it’s allowed me to flex a more creative muscle which I don’t necessarily get when I draw.” Past exhibits include Epilogue (2022) with ten tons of confetti dropping from the ceiling of a dilapidated church in London over the course of 10 days, and Monochrome (2018), where she created seven rooms in this same warehouse, each in a single bright color, from ceilings to walls to furnishings. “Being able to build these bigger, more grandiose things is a real privilege. I think it’s the more challenging side to my practice, but I really enjoy it.”

Plaid runs through April 23 at 220 Newel Street in Greenpoint. The exhibition is open to the public with a $10 entry fee.