These walls can talk

It’s not just the story of one man’s journey to America; it’s the story of all of us. Maxo Vanka’s 25 powerful murals are one of Pittsburgh’s hidden gems. Painted in two intense periods – 1937 and 1941— in a church high above Millvale, the murals’ timeless tales leave viewers awestruck.
  • Box of pastels
  • Vecenie Distributing table in basement
  • Jennifer Baron playing records in the church
  • Mother and child making buttons with LIGHT Education Initiative staff
  • Volunteers smiling at the registration table outside
  • Graffiti artists and their Block Party collaborative mural
Save the Date

Vanka Block Party

Sunday, April 28, 2024 from 12-4pm

Join us for a free community event featuring local food and drink, music, art making, tours, and more!!
Four conservators, equipped with headlamps, sit side by side on the edge of scaffolding as they clean Vanka's Murals. They have containers and swabs beside them, focused on their meticulous work.

Save Maxo Vanka

As the walls suffer from years of weather, art enthusiasts and fans of Maxo’s art tirelessly work to preserve the murals, to illuminate them, and to share his messages of social justice, immigration and the heartbreak of love, loss and war.

Book a Tour