Forget “look, don’t touch.”
Artist CJ Hendry is inviting New Yorkers to become part of the artwork with Pastel, a playful new immersive installation that transforms Salon 94 Design into a giant, walk-in jewelry box.
Instead of wandering through a traditional gallery, visitors can kick off their shoes, slip on a pair of complimentary pastel-blue socks, and dive into an enormous bead-filled pit where every colorful charm doubles as a tiny work of art.
Better yet? You can turn your finds into a custom bracelet or necklace to take home.
This immersive art exhibit lets you dive into millions of colorful beads
The centerpiece of Pastel is an enormous indoor “pool” overflowing with custom-designed beads inspired by Hendry’s signature whimsical universe.
Upon arrival, guests receive a bucket and string before stepping into the ankle-deep sea of beads to hunt for their favorite charms. Throughout the experience, visitors can sift through handfuls of colorful pieces, compare discoveries with friends, or simply relax in the installation—many even end up lying flat in the middle of the bead pit for the perfect photo.
Every bead is inspired by CJ Hendry’s artwork
The charms scattered throughout the installation are anything but ordinary.
Instead of standard beads, visitors will uncover tiny sculptures shaped like balloon dogs, flowers, smiley faces, purple cars, shrimp, hot dogs, skulls, diamonds, rubber ducks, rockets, avocados, horseshoes, alien heads, teeth, and dozens of other playful objects.
Each design comes directly from Hendry’s artwork displayed throughout the gallery. Surrounding the installation are grids of her large-scale pastel drawings, each depicting oversized, hyper-realistic versions of the exact charms hiding beneath your feet.
The result is an experience where the artwork literally spills off the walls and into your hands.
Design your own jewelry to take home
Once you’ve collected your favorite charms, you’ll head over to the gallery’s jewelry station, where staff members help string your custom creation into a bracelet, necklace, or charm.
Finished pieces are packaged in exclusive Pastel gift bags, making for a memorable keepsake from the exhibition. Admission to the installation is completely free, and exploring the bead pit costs nothing. Visitors who decide they’d like to keep their jewelry simply pay $1 per bead used in their final design.
Beyond the interactive installation, Pastel also features a concept shop filled with CJ Hendry’s signature creations. Visitors can browse original drawings, limited-edition prints, hats, T-shirts, acrylic keyrings, leather trays, jewelry trunks, and other exclusive merchandise inspired by Hendry’s instantly recognizable visual style.
Know before you go
- ⏳ Time to spend: Plan for about 30–60 minutes, though you can easily stay longer if you’re making jewelry or browsing the shop
- 📍 Location: Salon 94 Design, 3 E. 89th St., New York, NY 10128
- 📅 Dates: August 6–16, 2026 (10 days only)
- 🕙 Hours: Open daily from 10 a.m.–7 p.m.
- 🎟️ Admission: Free
- 💎 Jewelry cost: Browsing and playing in the bead pit is free; keepsake jewelry is $1 per bead
- 🧦 What’s included: Complimentary branded socks, a bucket, and string to collect your beads
- 🪩 Experience: Wade through a massive bead-filled installation, collect charms, and create a custom bracelet, necklace, or charm
- 🛍️ Extras: Shop exclusive CJ Hendry merchandise, limited-edition artwork, and collectibles
- 📸 Good to know: Expect plenty of photo opportunities—this is one of NYC’s most Instagram-worthy art installations of the summer