Magic Gardens Studio – Isaiah and Julia Zagar’s Hidden Gem
When you hear the name Isaiah Zagar, you think of broken tiles, cracked mirrors, and life’s daily, flotsam made into uniquely splendid murals dotting the Philadelphia landscape. Beyond those hundreds of street and home-bound murals, there is, of course, his South Street epic, the Magic Gardens – that immersive, 3-D cavernous installation art piece-cum-gallery space where primitive animal figures and discarded bike wheels become a living example of freak folk (art) freneticism. The idea of the mixed media art Magic Gardens, however, also represents Zagar’s umbrella non-profit organization that oversees that space, his neighborhood work, and his recent turnaround of a garage at 1002 Watkins Street off East Passyunk Avenue into an equally mesmerizing, doubly mosaic-ized, high-ceilinged Magic Gardens Studio (the Studio).
At the top of 2024, Isaiah and Julia Zagar (the owner-curator of South Street’s Eyes Gallery, itself a space filled with rare Isaiah mosaics) donated the 10,000-square-foot garage/studio – with its floor-to-ceiling mosaics and its large elevator originally used to hoist automobiles – to the Magic Gardens’ non-profit be preserved and maintained by the organization.
Along with its role as a “hidden gem” of Zagar’s mosaic aesthetic – from wall to wall, from top to bottom, made complete by its 14 like-minded, eccentric chandeliers made from found objects by Philadelphia light sculpture artist Warren Muller – the Magic Gardens Studio will be open to the public for limited tours, event planning and ceremonies, workshops in mindfulness and yoga, to start, along with select programming throughout the year.
“PMG has strongly maintained its mission of inspiring creativity and community engagement by educating the public about folk, mosaic, and visionary art,” said Emily Smith, the executive director of Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, during my visit to the studio during its recent debut open house.
“Isaiah and Julia’s donation of the Magic Gardens Studio ensures that this masterpiece will be preserved and enjoyed for generations to come. It ensures much-needed creative placemaking in our community. We envision the building as a home for artists and makers, a moment of inspiration and reprieve for community members and lovers of this type of art, and a space of connection for those on a journey with Parkinson’s Disease or with their mental health. We have been so excited to welcome people to the space and continue to make it even more wonderful than it already is.”
Magic Gardens Studio – When to Visit
You can visit HERE to check the lowdown on the Magic Gardens Studio. Visitors can purchase tickets for an hour-long guided tour, where they’ll learn about Isaiah Zagar, his influences, and the many collaborations that made the Studio possible. The tour includes a look at the space where tiles were created and materials were amassed for the artist’s many mosaic projects. The entire experience takes place indoors and includes time for guests to explore on their own. Tours are available for $25 every Tuesday, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
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