Isaiah Zagar, an internationally renowned and award-winning mosaic mural artist, has passed away at the age of 86 due to complications related to congestive heart failure and Parkinson’s disease. He is best known as the creator of Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens (PMG) Museum and Magic Gardens Studios. The immersive, mixed-media art environments feature his iconic mosaics comprising handmade tiles, bottles, bicycle wheels, mirrors, and international folk art chronicling his life and influences.
Zagar created more than 200 works found on public walls throughout the Western Hemisphere, including in California, New York, Hawaii, Florida, Mexico, and Chile. A complete map of his works is available on the PMG website.
“In his 86 years, Isaiah became one of the most renowned mosaicists on Earth, working from sunrise to sunset each day; creating hundreds of public mosaics, dozens of buildings and facades, and thousands of drawings, paintings, prints, and photographs,” said PMG Executive Director Emily Smith. “One of Isaiah’s greatest joys was collaborating with other artists, specifically with folk artists and other art environment creators around the world. His other great joy was being with friends and family, particularly his two sons, Zeke and Jeremiah, and his wife, muse, and partner in visionary thinking, Julia.
“Isaiah was more than our founder; he was our close friend, teacher, collaborator, and creative inspiration. He was unlike anyone we have ever met and will ever meet. Above all things, he was an artist. In his lifetime, he created a body of work that is unique and remarkable, and one that has left an everlasting mark on our city.”
While most known for his public murals, Zagar’s other work is included in the permanent collections of numerous notable art institutions, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and has been featured in solo exhibitions throughout the Philadelphia area, the Hinckley Pottery Gallery in Washington, D.C., and the Kornblee Gallery in New York City. He received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Pew Charitable Trusts.
Zagar was also fortunate to participate in artist residencies in Tianjin, China, Rajasthan, India, and the Kohler Co. Pottery Foundry in Wisconsin.
Since 2011, PMG has worked closely with Zagar to develop strategies to preserve and maintain his public murals, mosaics, and art environments as part of its core mission. The nonprofit has three full-time preservation team members who have trained alongside him for over a decade, recorded hundreds of hours of interviews, documented his process with video and photographs, and archived his private collection of work.
Additionally, the Magic Gardens Museum and Magic Gardens Studio are owned by the nonprofit, ensuring they will be protected and preserved in perpetuity. At Zagar’s request, PMG welcomes donations to the organization’s preservation fund as an expression of sympathy.
A public memorial will be announced at a later date. For the latest news and developments, as well as more about Zagar’s life and work, visit www.phillymagicgardens.org.
About Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens
Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens (PMG) is a nonprofit organization that preserves and interprets the artwork of Isaiah Zagar and furthers the legacy of Isaiah and his wife, Julia. The organization provides access to Zagar’s two largest immersive mixed-media art environments: the Magic Gardens Museum (1020 South Street) and the Magic Gardens Studio (1002 Watkins Street). They are completely covered with mosaics. Zagar used handmade tiles, bottles, bicycle wheels, mirrors, and international folk art to chronicle his life and influences. PMG celebrates art in its many forms through community outreach, public programs, hands-on activities, exhibitions, and tours.
