FRICK ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER UNVEILS EXHIBIT INSPIRED BY MAXO VANKA’S ICONIC MURALS
Local BIPOC and Immigrant artists present new works offering a contemporary perspective on Vanka’s themes of justice, injustice, immigrant experience and motherhood.
PITTSBURGH – NOVEMBER 25, 2025 – Artwork inspired by the timeless murals of Maxo Vanka are coming to the Frick Environmental Center (FEC). Local artists were asked to create and exhibit original works imbued with their personal stories and inspired by the murals of immigrant artist Maxo Vanka in St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in Millvale. The resulting body of work elevates the creative voices of BIPOC and/or immigrant artists, people with disabilities, and environmental stewards, through their own artistic lenses and chosen mediums. The commissions originated in 2021 to diversify and contemporize the interpretation of the themes within the Vanka Murals including justice, injustice, immigrant experience, and motherhood.
Opening night for Maxo Vanka: Gift to America 2.0: New Voices. New Walls. – presented in collaboration with the Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka (SPMMMV) – will take place on Thursday, December 4, from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at the FEC. Attendees will enjoy an exclusive first look at the exhibition and have the opportunity to meet the artists during an informal reception.
Inspired by the 25 murals painted by immigrant artist Maxo Vanka in 1937 and 1941, inside a small immigrant church in Millvale and residing at the intersection of history, art and social justice, four local BIPOC and Immigrant Pittsburgh artists were selected to create new works that respond to his enduring legacy. Gift to America 2.0 and the exhibition are made possible through the generosity of Arts, Equity, & Education Fund, the Opportunity Fund, and The Pittsburgh Foundation with additional support from SPMMMV.
The exhibition highlights the artists’ personal narratives and lived experiences as migrants, mothers, and caretakers of the natural world. Featured works span a wide range of mediums – including acrylic, digital collage, mixed media, and video installation – creating a vibrant, contemporary dialogue with Vanka’s historic legacy. Selections from the Vanka Collection, founded in 2019 with a gift of more than 130 original works on paper from Vanka’s granddaughter, Marya Halderman, and her husband John, will also be on display.
“Standing in St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church, surrounded by Maxo Vanka's murals, feels profoundly like entering a dialogue that spans generations,” said artist, Sheila Cuellar-Shaffer. “As a migrant myself and a participant in the Gift to America 2.0 initiative, I felt a deep connection to the murals. They served as a compelling visual language, allowing me to engage with Vanka on enduring themes present in our work: migration, motherhood, and the pursuit of justice.”
Other artists include Fran Flaherty, a first-generation immigrant mother from the Philippines and a Deaf artist; Juliandra Jones, a self-taught mixed media artist, muralist, live painter, entrepreneur, and educator; and Ahmed & Lily Ragheb, an experimental filmmaking duo.
Vanka’s beloved murals reflect a deep reverence for the natural world, using flora and fauna as symbols of beauty, resilience, and shared humanity. The FEC’s growing role as an arts hub underscores the powerful connection between creativity and the environment and highlights the role art can play in advancing environmental justice. Looking ahead, the FEC will continue expanding artist residencies and present high-quality exhibitions that foster meaningful relationships with artists and invite visitors to experience nature through an artistic lens.
"At the Frick Environmental Center, we celebrate community connections and the interconnectedness of the human experience. Hosting Maxo Vanka 2.0: Gift to America is the next step in establishing the FEC as a respected gallery space in Pittsburgh,” said James A. Brown, Director of Education and the Frick Environmental Center. “We hope to expand our reach through collaborative exhibits like this one and welcome visitors who may be discovering the space for the first time. The exhibit explores themes of justice and immigration, which align with our values at the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, as we believe in fostering democratic spaces where everyone belongs. "
The artwork will be on view through mid-March, with opportunities for visitors to engage more deeply through artist-led creative programming. Throughout the winter and spring, the public can draw their own inspiration from the murals through hands-on activities hosted at the FEC. Participating artists will guide visitors through printmaking, plant pressing, sketching, and other creative experiences that bring the exhibit’s themes to life.
To learn more about the exhibit, visit https://vankamurals.org/our-work/gift-to-america-2-0/ and to sign up for upcoming programming, visit pittsburghparks.org/events.
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About Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy:
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy was founded in December 1996 by a group of citizens concerned with the deteriorating conditions of Pittsburgh’s historic city parks. A non-profit organization, the Parks Conservancy works closely with the City of Pittsburgh under an official public-private partnership agreement to restore and improve the city’s park system to its full potential. To date, the Parks Conservancy has raised more than $150 million and completed 25 major park improvement projects. The Parks Conservancy works with thousands of volunteers, hosts hundreds of events, and provides programming for more than 7,500 children annually.
About the Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka
The Society to Preserve the Murals of Maxo Vanka (SPMMMV) is an independent nonprofit organization founded in 1991 to save and share the murals painted by immigrant artist Maxo Vanka on the walls of St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in 1937 and 1941. SPMMMV’s mission prioritizes the long-term preservation of the one-of-a-kind paintings and achieved 90% completion of primary conservation in 2025. The organization welcomes thousands to the Vanka Murals experience each year through docent-led tours, education programs and creative community happenings. www.vankamurals.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Bethany Wells
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
412.956.0788
bwells@pittsburghparks.org
or
Alana Wenk, Director of Communications and Marketing
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
412.527.0020 / awenk@pittsburghparks.org