Our History

December 1, 2025

The Vilcek Foundation marks its 25th anniversary, recognizing twenty-five years as a prominent advocate for immigrant creativity and innovation in the arts and sciences. In conjunction with the United States Semiquincentennial, the foundation observes this milestone through an exhibition featuring works by Danish conceptual artist Danh Võ in 2026. The exhibition investigates American symbols such as the Statue of Liberty and the American Flag, exploring how meaning is changed when the pieces are dispersed or when the medium is altered and variable.

May 29, 2025

Il Lee—Energy and Flow: Abstraction of Movements opens at the Vilcek Foundation. Returning to the foundation during its 25th anniversary year, Il Lee, first featured in the inaugural exhibition at the original headquarters, presents new and recent works showcasing his acclaimed large-scale abstractions created through the intricate use of countless ballpoint pens on paper and canvas.

November 2, 2024

Abbott Miller, a partner at the New York-based design firm Pentagram and a longstanding collaborator with the foundation responsible for its visual identity since its inception, oversees a brand evolution and refresh that incorporates the introduction of a new prize.

January 4, 2024

The Marica Vilcek Prize in Art History is established to honor Marica Vilcek’s distinguished career. In its inaugural year, three prizes of $100,000 each are awarded to art historians and museum professionals whose work has significantly shaped museum culture and curatorial practice in the United States. The first recipients are Monika Bincsik, Wolfram Koeppe, and Pierre Terjanian.

July 13, 2023

On view from July 2023 to June 2024, Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery is presented in New York through dual exhibitions at the foundation’s Manhattan headquarters and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The exhibition is complemented by a digital website that features videos, images, and audio from the exhibition catalogue, as well as an interactive map of Pueblos and 3D renderings of pottery.

June 21, 2023

The foundation partners with former Creative Promise Prize-winning architect James Leng to develop a birdhouse sculpture for the public space on the roof of its Manhattan headquarters. Conceived in collaboration with President Rick Kinsel, the project draws on Leng’s architectural practice with Jennifer Ly at their San Francisco-based studio, Figure.

October 19, 2022

The first Vilcek Science Symposium takes place at Gladstone Institutes. Organized by neuroscientist and former Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise recipient Jeanne T. Paz, Science Crossing Borders: Celebrating the Contributions of Foreign-Born Researchers in the United States features lectures and discussions led by former Vilcek Prizewinners.

July 31, 2022

Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery opens at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on the traditional lands of the Tewa people, O’gah’poh geh Owingeh (White Shell Water Place). Developed in partnership with the Indian Arts Research Center at the School for Advanced Research (IARC), the exhibition presents works from the Vilcek Foundation and IARC collections. The Pueblo Pottery Collective, comprising more than 60 Native American community members from 22 Pueblo communities across the Southwest, curated the exhibition.

May 31, 2022

Nari Ward: Home of the Brave is on view at the foundation’s New York headquarters from May 2022 to March 2023. Curated by President Rick Kinsel, the exhibition showcases works and installations by Jamaican-born artist and Vilcek Prizewinner Nari Ward, focusing on immigration, identity, and belonging in the United States.

March 1, 2022

Prize eligibility expands once more, introducing exceptions to the age requirement for individuals whose careers have been interrupted by caregiving, medical, military, or parental leave.

March 1, 2021

Eligibility for the Creative Promise Prizes now includes H-4 visa holders with valid employment authorization, as well as asylees and asylum seekers with pending applications and valid work authorization.

January 7, 2021

The Vilcek Foundation collaborates with Brooklyn-based Japanese artist and illustrator Hiroki Otsuka to produce a series of manga, or Japanese graphic comics, highlighting its prizewinners. The first installment features Denise Scott Brown, recipient of the 2007 Vilcek Prize in Architecture. Other editions will feature Mohamed Abou Donia, Blitz Bazawule, Viviana Gradinaru, Fabián von Hauske Valtierra, and Harris Wang.

May 11, 2020

A new series of print and digital coloring books enters production, beginning with The Marsden Hartley Coloring Book. Subsequent editions are developed in partnership with institutions including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Pen + Brush, featuring themes such as Latinx artists, African art, medieval armor, Pueblo pottery, and women scientists in STEM.

February 1, 2020

By this point, over $5 million in prizes have been awarded to 123 artists, scientists, and leaders from 54 countries, including Marcus Samuelsson, Neri Oxman, Yo-Yo Ma, Viviana Gradinaru, Nari Ward, and Valeria Luiselli.

September 16, 2019

A Place at the Table: New American Recipes from the Nation’s Top Foreign-born Chefs, the foundation’s first cookbook, is published, featuring recipes from 40 acclaimed chefs, including Marcus Samuelsson, Jae-Eun Jung, Dominique Crenn, Michael Solomonov, Corey Lee, and Daniela Soto-Innes.

May 15, 2019

Ralston Crawford: Torn Signs, the first exhibition at the Vilcek Foundation’s new headquarters, opens to the public. The exhibition explores the Canadian-born artist’s late series Torn Signs and Semana Santa, revealing how urban imagery and sacred ritual intersect in his visual language.

February 4, 2019

The Vilcek Prize for Excellence is established. This $100,000 award for intellectual and cultural leaders who have had a profound impact on our society and contributed a lasting legacy in the fields of arts, sciences, and humanities. The inaugural recipient is art historian Carmen C. Bambach.

October 1, 2018

The Vilcek Foundation opens its new headquarters at 21 East 70th Street in New York City. Renovations, led by Architecture Research Office with Adam Yarinsky, take several years to transform the historic structure into a modern headquarters and exhibition venue.

February 28, 2017

The Vilcek Foundation closes its headquarters at 167 East 73rd Street on the Upper East Side of New York City. The offices relocate temporarily to Manhattan’s Financial District.

October 11, 2016

Rick Kinsel is appointed president of the Vilcek Foundation, following his service as executive director since 2003. Jan Vilcek now serves as cofounder, CEO, and chairman.

March 1, 2015

The Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise now include individuals who have held an H-1B or O-1 visa for at least five years, as well as those granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) relief. This is the first eligibility expansion since the prizes began in 2009.

February 8, 2015

From New York to New Mexico: Masterworks of American Modernism from the Vilcek Foundation Collection opens at the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and features 65 works by artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Stuart Davis, Marsden Hartley, and Arthur Dove. Many of these works are on public view for the first time as the exhibition travels to the Phoenix Art Museum and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum before returning to New York.

January 26, 2015

The Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise increase in cash award from $35,000 to $50,000 for each recipient.

September 14, 2013

hôme hôme hôme, an exhibition by Vietnamese-born artist Brian Doan, opens at the foundation’s 73rd Street headquarters. In his first New York City solo show, Doan explores memory, identity, and the concept of home through imagery of jellyfish and personal symbols. This exhibition is the final show at the foundation’s 73rd Street headquarters.

May 28, 2013

Masterpieces of American Modernism: From the Vilcek Collection, published in partnership with Merrell Publishers, London, features nearly 100 works from the Jan T. and Marica Vilcek Collection and includes essays by art historians Lewis Kachur and William C. Agee. This publication marks the beginning of a long-term partnership with Merrell to produce exhibition catalogues and art books.

May 20, 2013

The Vilcek Foundation acquires its first works of American Modernist art, a group of 37 pieces by Ralston Crawford, including Factory with Yellow Center Shape.

May 2, 2013

The Vilcek Foundation publishes its first book, American Odysseys: Writings by New Americans, an anthology featuring 22 novelists, poets, and short-story writers from the shortlist for the 2011 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Literature. Contributors include Ethiopian-born Dinaw Mengestu, Yugoslavian-born Téa Obreht, and Chinese-born Yiyun Li.

February 5, 2013

The Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise increase in value from $25,000 to $35,000 each, with the number of annual awards expanding from four to six, three in biomedical science and three in the arts and humanities.

February 14, 2012

To date, more than $1 million in prizes have been awarded to 55 immigrant artists and scientists representing 30 countries. Notable recipients include José Andrés, Huda Zoghbi, Dinaw Mengestu, Titia de Lange, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Mike Nichols, and Harmit Malik.

February 22, 2011

The Vilcek Prizes are awarded to Titia de Lange in Biomedical Science and Charles Simic in Literature. For the first time since its establishment, the prize amount is increased to $100,000 for each recipient.

June 1, 2011

The foundation purchases 21 East 70th Street in New York City as the site of its future headquarters. Originally built in 1919 as a neoclassical townhouse, the building was converted into a commercial art gallery in the 1960s and later housed Hirschl & Adler Galleries. This landmark property marks a new stage in the foundation’s mission and programming, providing space for public exhibitions, an expanding staff, and the continued growth of its programs.

May 20, 2010

The Vilcek Foundation Celebrates LOST opens at the foundation’s New York headquarters as a special exhibition featuring portraits of the show’s cast and crew by photographer Peter Hurley, along with props and memorabilia from the series. Held just before the finale of ABC’s hit show produced by Disney, the exhibition showcases the international artists and filmmakers behind the series.

October 15, 2009

A cinematic trailer for the Vilcek Foundation debuts online and premieres at the Hawai’i International Film Festival. Produced with BigStar, the announcement features multiple languages and voices, including Jan Vilcek and Rick Kinsel, and reaches thousands of viewers on Oceanic Time-Warner’s Video on Demand.

February 9, 2009

The inaugural Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise recognize biologist Howard Chang and filmmaker Ham Tran for their early-career achievements. The introduction of these prizes represents an expansion of the foundation’s mission to acknowledge both established leaders and emerging immigrant talent, thereby supporting the next generation of innovators who are shaping the future of science and the arts.

November 12, 2008

American Immigrant Artists on Profile, co-presented by the Vilcek Foundation and the Hawaiߵi International Film Festival, debuts in New York City. Following their Honolulu screenings, six films and their filmmakers are showcased at the foundation’s gallery for local audiences.

June 5, 2008

The inaugural exhibition at the foundation’s new headquarters features works by Korean-born artist Il Lee and Iranian-born artist Pouran Jinchi. Curated by former Vilcek Foundation board member and Art Projects International founder Jung Lee Sanders, the exhibition marks the public debut of the gallery and affirms the foundation’s commitment to presenting immigrant artists whose work bridges cultures and artistic traditions.

“New York is the heart and soul of this immigrant nation,” says Marica Vilcek, vice president and cofounder of the foundation, “For the first eight years, we administered the foundation from our apartment, but always with the goal of growing its assets so that we could hire support staff, expand our programs, and establish a formal headquarters. We are proud to finally present 167 East 73rd Street as the Vilcek Foundation’s face to the public.”

April 1, 2008

The Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise, two new annual awards, are established to honor young immigrants in the United States who have demonstrated exceptional achievements in biomedical research and the arts and humanities. Each award consists of a $25,000 cash prize and a certificate of recognition designed by Stefan Sagmeister, produced using advanced technology and laser-cutting methods. Eligible individuals are encouraged to apply, and recipients will be chosen by an independent jury composed of distinguished leaders in their respective fields.

December 28, 2007

The foundation acquires its first contemporary artwork by an immigrant artist: Untitled (1994) by Japanese-born Ryo Toyonaga. His ceramic sculptures are later featured in the 2009 exhibition Mephistophelean.

November 5, 2007

The new headquarters at 167 East 73rd Street in New York City opens, occupying a historic Beaux-Arts carriage house that was constructed in 1904 by architect George L. Amoroux. Originally commissioned by Henry Harper Benedict, president of the Remington Typewriter Company and a founder of the American typewriter industry, the building was subsequently owned by philanthropist Emily Thorn Vanderbilt Sloane White and designer Henry Wolf. Following a comprehensive restoration, the building now houses the Vilcek Foundation offices and functions as a cultural venue for film screenings, performances, and readings.

May 18, 2007

A grant is awarded to the Hawai‘i International Film Festival to launch American Immigrant Filmmakers on Profile, a program that highlights the work of five immigrant filmmakers. This partnership develops into the foundation’s longest-running collaboration, providing decades of support to nearly 100 filmmakers and artists. Through this initiative, the foundation brings immigrant narratives to local audiences, hosts screenings and community events, introduces filmmakers to Hawai‘i schools, and organizes seminars with award-winning directors.

March 21, 2006

The first Vilcek Prizes gala is held at the Mandarin Oriental in New York City. Harold Varmus delivers the keynote address and introduces Joan Massagué as the recipient of the Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science. Agnes Gund presents Christo and Jeanne-Claude with the Vilcek Prize in Fine Arts.

March 16, 2006

The foundation establishes its headquarters at 167 East 73rd Street in New York City, marking a major milestone in its growth and development. Over the next two years, the building undergoes an extensive renovation led by Manhattan-based architect Peter Tow. While the Beaux-Arts façade is carefully preserved, the interior is completely transformed into a modern, minimalist space designed to meet the foundation’s evolving programmatic needs while honoring the building’s historic character.

March 31, 2005

The Vilcek Foundation establishes the Vilcek Foundation Prize to honor foreign-born scholars and artists living permanently in the United States whose work has made outstanding contributions to society.

2005

The Vilcek Foundation’s grants now exceed $1 million, supporting organizations including the New York University School of Medicine and the Santa Fe Opera. The foundation adopts a new mission to honor foreign-born scholars and artists in the United States who have made outstanding contributions to humanity.

January 16, 2004

The Friderika Fischer Foundation is renamed to The Vilcek Foundation, reflecting its mission to expand work inspired by Jan and Marica Vilcek’s combined experiences in biomedical science and the arts.

April 1, 2003

Rick Kinsel is named executive director of the Vilcek Foundation, becoming its first full-time staff member as the foundation grows and begins developing a prize program to honor foreign-born scientists and artists.

June 30, 2002

Jan and Marica Vilcek, along with the operations of the Vilcek Foundation, relocate from their home at 180 East 79th Street to 920 Fifth Avenue in New York.

October 28, 2001

In expanding its mission to include the arts, the Vilcek Foundation awards its first arts grant to support an apprentice program at the Santa Fe Opera for emerging artists, including Polish-born mezzo-soprano Edyta Kulczak. From 2001 to 2011, the foundation supports more than 20 apprenticeships for immigrant vocalists and technicians, establishing one of its longest-standing partnerships.

August 19, 2001

The Vilcek Foundation supports its first research project with a grant to the New York University School of Medicine, funding a study led by Dr. Hans-Georg Wisniewski on the anti-inflammatory properties of the TSG-6 protein.

December 1, 2000

Jan and Marica Vilcek establish the Friderika Fischer Foundation, named for Jan’s mother, to support research on autoimmune diseases, initially operating from their apartment in New York City. Funded by royalties from Jan’s breakthrough drug, Remicade, the foundation reflects the couple’s commitment to philanthropy. Informed by their experiences as immigrants, they direct their resources toward advancing science and the arts, as well as supporting future generations of innovators and creators.

1970s-1990s

Marica builds a thirty-year career at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, rising to head of the Catalogue Department and authoring the Cataloguing Manual: Metropolitan Museum of Art, which transforms museum cataloguing.

During this time, Jan’s immunology research defines cytokines as key immune signaling molecules and leads to the development of a monoclonal antibody, the prototype for Remicade, a therapy approved by the FDA for Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

1968-1972

Following the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, Jan and Marica turn their small New York apartment into a refuge; there they host, feed, and help friends and acquaintances from Bratislava resettle in the United States despite limited means.

February 4, 1965

Jan and Marica immigrate to New York City. Jan joins the New York University School of Medicine as an assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology, while Marica starts as a volunteer at the Brooklyn Museum’s library before joining The Metropolitan Museum of Art as a clerk-typist in the Watson Library.

October 10, 1964

Granted a weekend travel permit to visit their friends Edda and Hans Moritsch in Vienna, Austria, Jan and Marica defect from Communist Czechoslovakia. With help from the Moritsches and others, they travel from Vienna to Frankfurt, Germany, where they receive support from the American Friends of Refugees NGO, family, and friends while applying and waiting for U.S. visas.

July 28, 1962

Jan and Marica marry in a simple civil ceremony in Bratislava, joined by Ľudmila Peterajová, the curator of paintings at the Slovak National Gallery, and Břetislav Rada, a colleague of Jan’s from the Bratislava Institute of Virology.

April 9, 1961

Marica meets Jan Vilcek at a dinner to celebrate Russian Orthodox Easter. Several months later, Jan would visit the Slovak National Gallery to ask Marica on a date.

1959-1963

Marica graduates from Comenius University and begins working as an assistant curator at the Slovak National Gallery, while Jan’s research in immunology advances despite state restrictions. Both quietly resist Communist censorship, with Marica displaying modern art reproductions at home and Jan hanging Picasso posters banned as “formalist bourgeois.”

1958

Jan joins the newly founded Institute of Virology at the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, directed by Dionýz Blaškovič. He begins early research on interferons.

1954-1959

Marica enrolls at Comenius University, originally intending to study medicine, but is barred from pre-medical courses for political reasons after her family is blacklisted. She chooses to study art history, drawn by her love of history, culture, and beauty, under Dr. Alžbeta Güntherová-Mayerová, Slovakia’s leading art historian.

1950-1956

Jan studies medicine at Comenius University School of Medicine, earning his Doctor of Medicine and developing an early interest in virology.

Early 1940s

During World War II, both families face persecution under the Nazi-aligned Slovak State. Jan’s parents send him to a Catholic orphanage and school to shield him from deportation. Marica is moved between relatives in Trenčín and Nováky, and kept in the countryside for safety during bombings. After the war, both families return to Bratislava and Jan and Marica each resume their schooling.

October 13, 1936

Marica Vilcek (née Gerháth) is born in Bratislava to Dezider Gerháth and Mária Hámošová, both teachers.​

June 17, 1933

Jan Vilcek is born in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, to Július Vilček, an engineer in the national coal industry, and Friderika Fischer Vilček, an ophthalmologist.