Monumental sculpture on Broadway, next to Times Square
In April 2022, Santi Flores brought his sculptural language to the heart of New York.
An exhibition opened on Broadway, next to Times Square, one of the most iconic and dynamic urban settings in the world. Organized by the Garment District Alliance and the New York Department of Transportation (DOT), the initiative transformed the public space into an open-air gallery.
Fourteen monumental sculptures, each 4.5 meters tall and made of steel, became part of the city's urban landscape for six months.
Sculpture as an urban presence
Installed in the Garment District, the works directly engaged with the rhythm of Manhattan. Surrounded by skyscrapers, traffic, and a constant flow of people, the sculptures established a conversation with architecture and human density—a recurring theme in Flores' artistic practice.
The elongated figures, many defined by upward gestures or raised arms, functioned as vertical assertions within the urban grid. Their scale allowed them to interact with the city skyline, not only occupying space but redefining it.
Public art on this scale does not decorate the city—it transforms it. For half a year, these sculptures were part of the daily experience of thousands of residents and visitors.
Monumentality and identity
Made of steel and designed to withstand outdoor conditions, the works were conceived to integrate into the urban environment without losing their structural strength. The solidity of the material reflected the concepts of permanence, resilience, and presence that characterize the artist's sculptural language.
This installation marked a milestone in Santi Flores' international career. Bringing fourteen large-format pieces to Broadway solidified his work within the global context of contemporary sculpture in public spaces.
A dialogue between art and the city
New York is a city of scale, visibility, and assertion—concepts deeply connected to Flores' work. The exhibition did not just place sculptures in an urban setting; it integrated them into one of the most influential cultural crossroads in the world.
For six months, the city and sculpture coexisted. The works absorbed light, shadow, movement, and human interaction, reinforcing the idea that sculpture is not a static object, but an active presence that transforms with its environment.