Walking into Cj Hendry and Sulwhasoo’s Secret Garden at The Brant Foundation, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The collaboration is part art installation, part beauty-world spectacle, but once inside, the distinction matters less.
The main installation takes over the space with a forest of flat-pack wooden sculptures and puzzle-like forms. Individually, the pieces feel almost like oversized objects from a strange children’s game. Put together, though, they become something much bigger—a garden that you can actually walk through.
Part of the installation is that visitors aren’t simply asked to look. Everyone gets a box of custom crayons and is encouraged to color the wooden structures and draw their own. The result is predictably colorful and a little chaotic, which is part of the fun. It also shifts Hendry’s work from something precious or untouchable to something people can actually mess with.
The Brant Foundation’s old East Village architecture also adds something to the experience. Against the historic space, Hendry’s geometric wooden forms feel almost like an invasion—bright, modular, and slightly surreal.
Then I spent the rest of the night on the rooftop, and since it was a beautiful night, it was a perfect way to end the evening. Soft music, cocktails, and a celebratory mood filled the air.
After New York, the installation heads to Seoul, where it will be presented at The House of Sulwhasoo Bukchon from September 30 through October 8.