NEW YORK, NY.- The Garment District Alliance is welcoming back New Yorkers to Midtown Manhattan with a series of gigantic, playful dog companions as part of its latest public art exhibit, Doggy Bags, created by artist Will Kurtz. The newly created works for this exhibit include: Maisy, pug; Stanley, basset hound; Spicy, chihuahua; Harriet, English bulldog; Gomer, bull mastiff; and Daphne, vizsla.

Doggy Bags is located on Broadway in the Garment District between 38th and 40th Streets through November 20th. The installation is part of Garment District Art on the Plazas, a year-round public art program made possible through Arterventions, a subpart of the New York City Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Art Program. The Garment District Alliance and DOT work closely to coordinate and install exhibits and individual pieces, which enhance public plazas and make them even more welcoming to New Yorkers and visitors.

Coinciding with this exhibition, GDA is encouraging New Yorkers to return to the neighborhood with their own dog companions throughout the month as part of a neighborhood “bark run” on Broadway between 40th and 41st Streets.




“As we welcome New Yorkers back to the neighborhood, we’re proud to showcase Will Kurtz’s colorful, unique dog sculptures through the Garment District Space for Public Art program,” said Barbara A. Blair, president of the Garment District Alliance. “We know these beautiful sculptures – made with all recycled materials - will bring positivity, comfort and joy among visitors, and we encourage all to stop by and enjoy the exhibition this fall.”

“DOT Art is pleased to collaborate with our long-term partner, the Garment District Alliance, to offer New Yorkers access to public artwork in a time our city needs it the most,” said DOT Assistant Commissioner of Urban Design + Art + Wayfinding, Wendy Feuer. “The series brings not only vibrant and whimsical energy to the pedestrian plazas but also raises awareness to recycle.”

Inspired by the universal appeal of canine companions, Kurtz uses recycled materials to create the colorful oversized sculptures. The highly detailed forms are blown up to a scale four times their actual size and are constructed with steel armature, recycled single-use plastic bags and duct tape. Each depicts the unique characteristics and personality of a different breed of dog, while the choice of materials provides commentary about the absurdity of waste and the need to recycle.

Will Kurtz is a New York artist who practiced landscape architecture for 25 years before fully committing to his passion for sculpture. He has taught at a number of schools and has showcased his work in solo and group exhibitions in venues across the world, including New York City, Switzerland, Thailand, and more. Kurtz is represented by Avant Gallery, and received his MFA from the New York Academy of Art and his BLA from Michigan State University.