Carl D’Alvia, "Tandem", 2025. Auto paint on aluminum, 126 x 144 x 29 inches. Courtesy of the artist and HESSE FLATOW, New York.. Photo: Charles Benton
Carl D’Alvia’s brightly colored aluminum sculptures—part of his ongoing “Liths” series—bring a sense of play and whimsy to Shelburne Museum’s expansive grounds. Referencing ancient monoliths as well as 20th-century sculptural icons, these monumental forms are both hard-edged and humorous, serious yet soft, collapsing traditional binaries with wit and invention. D’Alvia’s animated shapes—slouched, sprawled, or flopped—seem to breathe with personality and movement, engaging in a playful dialogue with the Museum’s historic architecture, gardens, and collections. Coated in automotive paint, the “Liths” activate outdoor spaces with bold color and presence, inviting visitors to reconsider what monuments can be and who they’re for.
