Philadelphia's Magic Garden 27

Location: Philadelphia's Magic Garden located on South Street in Philadelphia, Pa

Here is a link to there website. It is worth taking a look at the gallery.




I have lived in this area for almost 20 years and have been to the famous South Street in Philly many of times and have even passed this particular building and had always thought it was neat but I guess I had to wait for my daughter to grow into a young woman before I would ever venture inside the walls of this Amazing 3 story building and adjacent lot of Layrinthine mosaic sculptures made of broken tiles/glass/mirrors and even bicycle rims and just plan junk My daughter has been talking about wanting to go for a couple of years now so we just jumped in the car today and drove over. It was so worth the 20 minute drive and the $10 admission for both of us This amazing building is a piece of art every single space it covered with something. From the outside to the inside your eyes are just constantly spotting something new and you will be just amazed at how much time and effort has been put into creating the humongous piece of art. I have included a Bio of the Artist.




About the Artist


Isaiah Zagar is an award-winning mosaic mural artist whose work can be found on over 100 public walls throughout the city of Philadelphia and around the world. Born in Philadelphia and raised in Brooklyn, Zagar received his B.F.A. in Painting and Graphics at the Pratt Institute of Art in New York City. When he was 19 years old, Zagar discovered the folk art installations of Clarence Schmidt in Woodstock, New York. Influenced by Schmidt, Picasso, Jean Debuffet, Curt Schwitters, Antonio Gaudi, Simon Rodia and Joseph Ferdinand Cheval, he was inspired to include the concepts of untrained artists as manifestations of fine art.

Zagar's artwork is heavily influenced by his travels and the personal connections he has made with international folk and visionary artists. Isaiah and his wife Julia completed three years of Peace Corps service in Peru in the mid-1960s, working with folk artists in the Puno region near Lake Titicaca. Soon after, they settled in Philadelphia and began their lifelong work of creating public art and fostering creativity in all its varied forms.

In addition to his three-year Peace Corps service in Peru, Isaiah has completed artist residencies in Tianjin, China and Rajisthan, India. He also participated in a residency at the Kohler Ceramic Factory in Wisconsin.

Zagar's work is included in the permanent collections of numerous art institutions, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, and the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., and has been featured in solo exhibitions throughout the Philadelphia area. Zagar has received grants for his artistic excellence from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Pew Charitable Trust for his work in Interdisciplinary Arts.

Isaiah Zagar has gained recognition in various films and publications, most notably in the 2008 documentary, In A Dream, created by his son, Jeremiah Zagar. He has spoken at several prominent conferences and artists' lectures both domestically and internationally. Through over 40 years of creating artwork on a grand, public scale, Zagar has helped shape Philadelphia into a thriving creative community.