CJ Hendry - Epilogue
I’d never heard of CJ Hendry until last week when her immersive art installation in a disused Grade II listed church overwhelmed my Instagram feed. And not just mine, judging by yesterday’s 40 minute entry queue on an early Tuesday afternoon.
The spark for the show was the latest series of drawings by this self taught artist whose style has often been described as photorealistic and now commands ridiculously high asking prices — £17k for the small ones and £44k for the large!
Having now seen her work in person, I begin to understand why. Their detail is so fine I could study them for as many hours as they take to make (up to 80!). The hyperrealistic accuracy is almost unnerving, but on closer inspection you might spot evidence of a human hand in the mark making.
Not that many people will. Most who go to this show probably won’t know it’s essentially an art gallery popup thanks to the magical distraction created by 10 tons of recyclable petals that have been floating down and filling the space since it opened.
To be fair, you can’t really begrudge an artist for creating something that has the general public willingly waiting 40+ minutes to see it, even if it’s the kind of Instagram/TikTok baiting experience that brings out the most ridiculous self indulgent behaviour in the guests. (Seriously… is this really an appropriate setting for carefully posed breast feeding photos?)
Setting aside my sarcasm and art snobbery, it truly is a beautifully serene experience, and that’s despite the squeals of joy and laughter that fill the space from both children and adults alike.
Now go charge your phone and bring a friend for that perfect social media selfie. Hurry, hurry — it won’t be on for long!
Until 22 May at the New Testament Church of God in East London
Visit https://cjhendrystudio.com or follow @cj_hendry on Instagram for more info about the artist.