Twenty-six-year-old Brisbane-based artist CJ Hendry has opened a new exhibition, 50 Foods in 50 Days, in a pop-up gallery and gourmet food store in Melbourne.
The exhibition is inspired by the philosophical question, “If you were on death row, what would be your final meal?” The artist imprisoned herself in a room for fifty days to produce a drawing per day. Each drawing was then posted to social media as proof.
Oysters on Hermes by CJ Hendry
Image: Courtesy The Cool Hunter
The drawings feature both luxury and everyday foods, such as oysters, octopus, carrots and popcorn, all served on Hermes plates and painstakingly illustrated with a felt-tip pen. All but one of the drawings have sold, carrying a price tag of $8,800 each.
CJ Hendry began her artistic journey in 2013 when she quit her job at a Chanel store and dropped out of two university degrees in architecture and finance. She gave herself a year off to do one thing she really wanted, which was to draw. She is a lover of fashion and luxury brands, which is evident in her drawings of high-end products including Gucci shoes, Chanel No.5 perfume and Penfolds wine.
Bill Tikos of The Cool Hunter (left) and CJ Hendry (right).
Image: Courtesy The Cool Hunter
Working from a studio in her parent’s home in Brisbane’s Clayfield, the young artist sold her first drawing just a few months into her “year off.” She was later discovered on Instagram bt Australian blogger Bill Tikos of The Cool Hunter who curated an exhibition The Art Hunter in Alexandria, Sydney, in March 2014. The exhibition was a sellout success for Hendry and in her first year of drawing she made $1 million in sales with up to $50,000 paid for a single drawing.
Hendry became an international success when The Cool Hunter brokered the sale of one of her drawings to musician Kanye West. The drawings feature a $100 American bill bearing the rapper’s face. She has since sold drawings to the likes of wedding dress designer Vera Wang and actor David Caruso.
The photorealistic drawings are produced with the aid of a camera, a ruler and black Uni Pin pens. The firty foods were photographed by Toby Scott and Hendry used the photographs for her drawings.
Hendry is headed for New York in May 2015 where she will launch a new series of drawings. Her prices are expected to triple.
50 Foods in 50 Days is on show until 12 April, 2015 at a temporary event space by boutique developer Kalex.
