Pittsburgh officials on Tuesday unveiled the newest addition to the city’s art collection: a bronze sculpture in the Highland Park entry garden.
The statue, part of the city’s Art in Parks program, is the first to depict a woman of color in the city’s art collection.
Titled “Flora,” the statue was crafted by Pittsburgh artist Marlana Adele Vassar.
She said in a statement the artwork aims to “provide symbols of progress and possibility.”
@PLANPGH recently unveiled the newest addition to the City's Public Art Collection! Meet Flora, a new bronze sculpture decorating Highland Park's entry garden! pic.twitter.com/TS2CsOHUYm
— City of Pittsburgh (@Pittsburgh) April 23, 2024
“The figure is a person coexisting with nature rather than trying to tame it,” Vassar said.
City officials said the local artist worked alongside members of the Highland Park community to design the piece, which is located in the garden where it is accessible to residents.
Mayor Ed Gainey in a statement touted the importance of pieces of art that reflects “the aesthetics of its surroundings and the residents who enjoy visiting our city parks.”
The city’s Art in Parks program is funded by a grant from the Allegheny Regional Asset District.
