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This new immersive art exhibit is like a playground on steroids—and you can visit, climb on it and snap some incredible photos for free. In a tongue-in-cheek nod to Jeff Koons' iconic balloon animal sculptures, the exhibition by artist Cj Hendry is titled "Keff Joons."
Imagine if a tangled mess of balloon animals expanded in size to fill a warehouse. That's what Hendry has created with "Keff Joons." It's a wild sight to see—and experience—and you can see it for yourself from April 11–20 at 50 Gold Street in Brooklyn's Vinegar Hill neighborhood from 10am-5pm daily. Just be prepared to wait in line.
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As an artist, Hendry is known for her playfulness and sense of humor in creating truly immersive exhibits. In this exhibition, long, oversized balloons in pink, red, yellow, green and yellow hues fill the warehouse from floor to ceiling. They look almost like giant sprinkles or wiggly worms. When climbing through the colorful display, you'll feel the squish of balloons under your feet and notice that nostalgic, rubber-like aroma of a bounce house. It's impossible not to smile as you get your bearings, climb and explore.
"Balloons are so simple, yet they carry this enormous emotional weight—joy, nostalgia, fragility. I love that they float so effortlessly, but at any moment, they can pop," Hendry said in a statement.
In this adaptation of balloons, Hendry aims to challenge perceptions of space and volume through a ubiquitous object. All are encouraged to interact and play with their surroundings and explore how movement, placement and material transform the spaces around them, both physical and internal. There's no signage at the exhibit. Instead, guests are encouraged to follow their inherent curiosity in exploring the installation.
Balloons are so simple, yet they carry this enormous emotional weight—joy, nostalgia, fragility.
"While Jeff [Koons] has transformed the balloon animal into an icon of art, I've cobbled together these balloon 'knots' that forgo structure and form and are totally ridiculous," Hendry said.
In addition to climbing through the installation, also be sure to check out a series of nine hyper-realistic drawings by the artist, as well as a miniature sculpture of the balloon castle.
Now, a few practical tips. Upon arrival, be prepared to sign a waiver, remove your shoes and put on some orange socks with sticky pads on the bottom. As you'll soon learn, these socks are important! There are lockers to store your stuff, which you'll definitely want to take advantage of. You certainly can't climb around in a coat or with a backpack on. We'd recommend wearing bright colors for some photos. And keep in mind that you'll be climbing, so you may want to avoid dresses or skirts.
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Finally, if this installation gets the response of past Cj Hendry exhibitions, be prepared to wait in line. Her last pop-up brought free plush flowers to Roosevelt Island—and it was so popular that police had to step in to handle the crowds. Her adult playground called PLAIDground delighted visitors in Brooklyn back in 2023. You may have also caught her Pink Chairs, a pair of concrete chairs popped up in Prospect Park last year.
Hendry is known for delighting visitors and inspiring moments of contemplative joy—and her "Keff Joons" experience definitely fits the bill.