May 9 – November 2025
The Broadway Mall Association, in partnership with HESSE FLATOW and NYC Parks, presents Carl D’Alvia: Broadway Hubbub. The outdoor exhibition of five large-scale, colorful sculptures will be on view
in the central traffic malls of Broadway from Dante Park at 64th Street north to 117th Street.
Broadway Hubbub is the 15th exhibition of contemporary sculpture presented on the malls by the Broadway Mall
Association.
Carl D’Alvia: Broadway Hubbub features five, large-scale, monochromatic sculptures from the artist’s Liths series. The works, ranging from five-feet to twelve-feet tall, are fabricated in aluminum and auto
paint, showcasing D’Alvia’s signature bright colors and bold forms against the urban landscape.
D’Alvia’s sculptural practice has evolved over three decades, blending humor playfulness, and softness with traditional materials like bronze, marble, resin, and aluminum. His work navigates dichotomies such as hard/soft, minimal/ornate, and animate/inanimate often bringing human-like qualities to his sculptures and challenging their static nature. This exploration of contrasts allows D’Alvia to create works that are both monumental and intimate, humorous and serious. Drawing from historical references like Baroque sculpture and Minimalism, his vibrant, playful approach engages contemporary sensibilities while reimagining traditional forms.
In his “Liths” series, which are on view along Broadway, D’Alvia pushes the boundaries of sculptures with large-scale painted aluminum works that blend toughness with vulnerability, humor with gravity.
Inspired by ancient monoliths and 1970s artists such as Alexander Calder and Tony Smith, the artist transforms the traditional statues into something more animated and human. Each piece, coated in vibrant automotive paint, takes on distinct personalities, such as Hot Rod and Tandem (both 2025). These sculptures combine the weight of historical monumentality with a whimsical, almost comedic character, bringing new life to the medium.
When reflecting on the exhibition, D’Alvia states, “I’ve always seen these large works being out in the world with us. Itinerant characters who slouch, bend, and wander through the world alongside us while holding a sort of sculptural mirror up to us. Being able to show these works on Broadway affords me the unique opportunity to allow these sculptures to wander into the urban fabric and whimsically challenge and interact with the public. There’s only one Broadway.”