Cj Hendry’s newest installation “Keff Joons” opens in Brooklyn

 Entrance to the installation, photo by Claudia

By CLAUDIA April 11, 2025

Cj Hendry’s newest installation “Keff Joons” opens today (April 11th) at 50 Gold Street in Dumbo Brooklyn, running until April 20th. Entry is free and it is open from 10am to 5pm. Visitors will be given access to lockers, gifted a pair of orange grippy socks, and then invited to explore the space and climb a massive sculpture created from thick rubberized inflatable tubes. In addition there are original drawings, prints, a sculpture, and an assortment of merch available for purchase including T-shirt, hats, magnets, and kits with 260 modeling balloons and pump; all a nod to the highly successful and still controversial “Celebration” series of the installation’s namesake Jeff Koons.

Upon arrival to the preview, I was required to sign a liability waiver. Once I entered the room I understood why. 

 Full view of interactive sculpture, photo by Claudia
 

The approximately 30’x20 foot sculpture fills almost the entire room. Made of 50 individual pieces fashioned to look like 260 modeling balloons twisted together. With its base nestled in a deep pit in the floor and rising up to almost the ceiling it was dizzying to contemplate “interacting” with. 

Visitor with art, photo by Claudia

Detail of sculpture, photo by Claudia

Detail of sculpture, photo by Claudia

 I decided to first look at the gallery to the left that contained the other artwork being shown. 

 View of drawings and sculptures, photo by Claudia

In the middle is my favorite piece of the show, a smaller sculpture of a cluster of 260s, twisted together in utter chaos. 

Close up of sculpture, photo by Claudia
 

On two opposing walls there is a set of a set of 8 original drawings of similar miniaturized balloon clusters, swimming in a sea of unprinted paper. On on the opposite wall there are 10 prints (editions of 100 each) of those same clusters blown up to fill the page. Both are done in Hendry’s signature photo realistic scribbled colored pencil. 

Set of 8 drawings, photo by Claudia

Close up of print, photo by Claudia

I began taking some more photos of the larger sculpture and then emboldened by the encouragement of one of the staff, I decided to make my ascent. The material is thankfully far less slippery (and squeaky) than actual balloons and the gratis grippy socks do help a lot. 

View from the top of the sculpture, photo by Claudia

View looking down, photo by Claudia

That being said I decided not to push it and made base camp slightly below the summit. I might go back just to see if anyone will attempt to get to the tippity toppity absolute peak…

Cj Hendry, photo by Claudia