Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens: The Dreamwork of Isaiah Zagar

Philadelphia Magic Gardens: The Dreamwork\ of Isaiah Zagar captures the artistry of one of Philadelphia’s most prolific muralists. Begun in 1994 and opened for the public 2008, Zagar’s Magic Gardens overflows from its empty lot on South Street to cover the landscape in a labyrinthine display of found objects. This multicolored, multitextured, mural erupts in splashes of vibrant glass, stone, and twisted metal that can only be described as fantastical in comparison to the dull urban grey of its surroundings. Zagar, an award-wining mosaic artist, is well known for his other mural work across the world. Visitors to Philadelphia alone can find his art covering roughly 300 walls as part of his overall 50,000 square feet of designs. Heavily influenced by his travels around Peru, China, India, and a host of other countries, Zagar’s art combines colors and textures in a fusion of ideas that demand admiration from passersby.

In conjunction with the nonprofit art museum and gallery that