This is a Middle East first for the talented CJ Hendry and her Flower Market
As part of the immersive Craft & Code exhibition at Erth Abu Dhabi this weekend, internationally acclaimed artist CJ Hendry is bringing her iconic Flower Market pop-up to the Middle East for the first time.
Known for her hyper-realistic, large-scale renderings of luxury objects and meticulously crafted sculptural works, Hendry transforms the exhibition space into a vibrant, immersive celebration of flora.
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The installation features 200,000 stems, including native UAE blooms, reimagined as collectable art moments that merge local natural beauty with Hendry’s signature artistic precision.
Explaining why she decided to turn flowers into something you can keep forever, CJ Hendry previously said: “Flowers are one of those universal things, people buy them for every occasion, from celebrations to apologies.
“But the sad part is they’re gone in a few days. Flower Shop flips that idea on its head. These flowers never die, which makes them funny, a little cheeky, and, hopefully, the most fun gift you’ll ever give.”
Hendry, who has risen to fame with her self-taught hyper-realism and painstaking scribbling technique, has previously delighted audiences worldwide with interactive and playful installations, including her Flower Market pop-ups in New York, where fans queued for city blocks to experience her felt floral creations.
Her SoHo Flower Shop, a permanent retail space selling $10 felt bouquets, demonstrates her commitment to making art both accessible and joyful.
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For Craft & Code, Hendry brings the same playful sensibility to Abu Dhabi, translating ephemeral pop-up energy into a fully immersive, regionally contextualised installation.
The Flower Market at Erth Abu Dhabi is an exploration of scale, texture, and cultural resonance. Visitors navigate a living studio where the intricacy of each bloom reflects Hendry’s attention to detail and her ability to turn ordinary objects into hyper-realistic marvels.
Hendry’s work at Craft & Code also builds on her history of experiential installations, from her Rockefeller Center floral pop-ups to her surreal inflatable Keff Joons and PLAIDground playgrounds in Brooklyn.
It’s all part of Craft & Code, a two-day immersive exhibition showcasing how global brands can participate locally through collaboration with Emirati artisans, regional designers, and heritage-led luxury houses. Other collaborations at the pop-up include Off-White’s world-first capsule curated with IB Kamara, a brand-new installation by Emirati architect and designer Abdalla Almulla, and Amouage’s never-before-released fragrance in numbered collector formats.
31 January-1 February, Erth Abu Dhabi.
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