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Saturday, April 13, 2019

9 essential Isaiah Zagar mosaics in Philly

Philly is a place full of character, art, and a lot of hidden beauty.
And at least some of that should be attributed to the prolific mosaic artist, Isaiah Zagar, whose numerous pieces have added pops of color and hidden messages in once-grey spots all around the city.
Of course, the most famous piece is the Magic Gardens on South Street—which have become a destination for tourists and locals alike over the years—but there are many, many other pieces that are worth a visit.
So, in honor of Zagar’s 80th birthday last month, we’ve sought some help from the Philadelphia Magic Gardens to put together the nine most must-see Zagar mosaics around Philly.
Since Zagar is based in South Philly, these are listed in order from south to north. Did we miss your favorite? Leave us a tip here.
Also, if you’re eager to check out even more of Zagar’s works, take the full mosaic tour on the Magic Gardens website.

1. Zagar’s workshop

1002 Watkins St
Philadelphia, PA 19148
For true Zagar fans, his workshop/warehouse in South Philly is an absolute must-see. Zagar worked on this spot after completing the Magic Gardens in 2008, and he set to work putting mosaics in almost all 9,000 square feet of space. It’s not open to the public yet the same way that the Magic Gardens are, but people have definitely been able to visit an check it out. Even if you can’t get in, that outside is certainly worth a picture.

2. Southwark/Queen Village community garden

315 Christian St
Philadelphia, PA 19147
The Southwark/Queen Village community garden is one of South Philly’s hidden gems, bringing together communities in the neighborhood since it was first started in the 1970s. For its 20th anniversary, the garden’s leaders raised $2,300 to commission a mosaic from Zagar. The artist debuted his five-story piece in 1997 and it’s been a beloved part of the garden ever since.

3. Homage to Mike Matteo: Master Plumber

510 Bainbridge St
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Tucked away on a side street off Bainbridge, this is one of those mosaics you may not know is there, but once you do, you want to visit again and again. It takes up the side of several rowhomes and makes for a magical little alleyway (and a very Instagram-worthy one).

4. Carlos Carpet building

515 Bainbridge St
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Like its neighbor (#3) the mosaic at the Carlos Carpet building is impressive, first and foremost, for its size. It takes over the entirety of the small business, making for a glittering gem of a building in the middle of South Philly.

5. Eye’s Gallery

402 South St
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Isaiah and his wife Julia Zagar opened this eclectic, artsy gallery on South Street in 1968, sparked by a love of Latin American Folk Art. They collected and showcased pieces of art from all around the world, including Isaiah Zagar’s first mosaics ever. Now, the place is a three-story gallery and South Street staple, still run by Julia, according to Stacey Holder of the Philadelphia Magic Gardens.

6. South Schell Street

601 S Schell St
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Yet another one of Zagar’s side street pieces, the Schell Street walls are well known (among locals, at least) for making a little alleyway magical. Completed in the mid-1990s, the walls are just another example of how the prolific artist brings touches of beauty to Philly in unexpected ways.

7. Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens

1020 South St
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 733-0390
Easily Zagar’s most famous work, the Philly Magic Gardens on South Street have become a popular tourist attraction, wedding destination, and general spot for photo-ops, ever since they were opened to the public 10 years ago.
But they have a history that stretches back even further than that. In the early 1990s, Zagar started working on mosaics around empty lots in the area, in a project that would later become the gardens. The works were almost demolished when the owner of the lots discovered them in 2004, but the community rallied around Zagar, according to the gardens’ website.The space was saved, and Zagar was able to develop it into the maze of tunnels, hidden pictures, windows, and general artistry that it is today.
230 Vine St
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 925-9914
The Painted Bride Art Center is a beloved part of Old City, with a massive, iconic Zagar facade, dubbed “The Skin of the Bride.” Despite community support, it’s facing an uncertain future. In 2017, The Painted Bride’s executive director, Laurel Raczka announced the building was going up for sale, with plans to keep the art center, itself going. A petition for the building’s historic designation was denied last year in a narrow 5-4 vote. There are no known plans to demolish the building as of now, but its uncertain future means it’s definitely worth stopping by sooner, rather than later.
An innovative art center for edgy and experimental music, art, dance, poetry and other performing arts, the Painted Bridge was founded as a cooperative gallery on South Street in 1969 and later evolved into a performance space, moving to its permanent location in Historic Philadelphia’s Old City neighborhood in 1982.
 Photo by M. Kennedy for VISIT PHILADELPHIA

9. ‘The Men Can Pledge’

1932 W Berks St
Philadelphia, PA 19121
This is not one of Zagar’s most well-known works, but it is special in its uniqueness. It’s one of the few pieces by Zagar that imparts a long message—in writing, at least—and it’s an important one. The piece, which you can see a little more closely here, urges men to take a pledge of non-violence.
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