Cj Hendry (Australian, b. 1988), Absentia

Colored pencil on paper, signed at lower right, float mounted and framed under Plexiglass.

With original signed Authenticity Card from the artist.

Sheet size 28 x 36 in; Frame dimensions 32 x 40 in.

Acquired by the consignor from the artist

Catherine Jenna Hendry, professionally known as Cj Hendry, is an Australian-born, New York-based contemporary artist celebrated for her hyper-realistic, large-scale drawings. Born in 1988 in South Africa and raised in Brisbane, Australia, Hendry initially pursued studies in architecture and finance before leaving academia in 2013 to focus on art full-time. A self-taught artist, she gained prominence through Instagram, where her meticulous ink drawings of luxury items—crafted using a unique scribbling technique—captivated a global audience. Her clientele has grown to include notable figures like Kanye West and Vera Wang . Over time, Hendry has expanded her practice to encompass immersive installations, consistently exploring themes of material culture and visual spectacle.
Hendry is renowned for her extraordinary colored pencil drawings, which are a key facet of her artistic identity. Though she began with black ink drawings, she transitioned into color around 2017, significantly expanding her visual language. Her colored pencil works are hyper-realistic and meticulously detailed, with a near-photographic quality. Hendry uses layers upon layers of color pencil strokes, sometimes blending hundreds of hues to achieve the rich, smooth textures and dimensionality that make her pieces appear almost three-dimensional.
This work, Absentia, is from Henry’s 2019 Rorschach series, where she masterfully uses colored pencils to create hyper-realistic images that resemble smudged paint. This series draws inspiration from psychological inkblot tests, inviting viewers to project their interpretations onto the artwork. By referencing psychological testing, Hendry subtly brings attention to mental health—an often stigmatized topic—within the context of fine art. Her immersive installations and thematically rich drawings encourage audiences to confront personal and collective perceptions of sanity, trauma, and identity. Each piece in the series is named after a psychological thriller, adding a layer of narrative intrigue.
In April 2025, Hendry unveiled her latest exhibition, "Keff Joons," in Brooklyn, New York. This immersive installation playfully references Jeff Koons' iconic balloon sculptures, featuring 50 oversized, tangled balloon knots that invite visitor interaction. Hendry describes the work as a "ridiculous little rebellion," transforming the polished perfection of Koons' creations into chaotic, formless structures that evoke both humor and nostalgia.

Good estate condition; not examined out of the frame.