Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens announced Thursday that its founder, internationally renowned mosaic artist Isaiah Zagar, has died at 86.
Zagar passed away at his Philadelphia home from complications related to congestive heart failure and Parkinson’s disease, surrounded by family and friends. He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Julia, and their two sons, Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
Best known for transforming South Street into a kaleidoscopic mosaic landscape, Zagar created more than 200 public works across the Western Hemisphere, including in California, New York, Hawaii, Florida, Mexico, and Chile. In Philadelphia alone, more than 50,000 square feet of walls and public spaces bear his signature mosaics made of handmade tiles, mirrors, bottles, bicycle wheels and international folk art.
His most famous creation, the immersive mixed-media environment known as Magic Gardens Museum, grew from a vacant lot near his studio into a nationally recognized cultural landmark. A second site, Magic Gardens Studio on Watkins Street, was donated to the nonprofit in 2023 to ensure long-term preservation of his work.
“The scale of Isaiah Zagar's body of work and his relentless art-making at all costs is truly astounding,” shared Emily Smith, Executive Director of PMG. “Most people do not yet understand the importance of what he created, nor do they understand the sheer volume of what he has made. It is distinctive and wholly unique to Philadelphia, and it has forever changed the face of our city."
Born in Philadelphia in 1939 and raised in Brooklyn, Zagar studied at the Pratt Institute before serving in the Peace Corps in Peru with Julia in the 1960s. The couple settled on South Street in 1968, opening the Eye’s Gallery and helping spark what became known as the South Street Renaissance. Over five decades, Zagar covered buildings, facades and public walls with vibrant mosaics, reshaping the neighborhood and influencing Philadelphia’s identity as a public art city.
His work is included in the collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and he received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Since 2011, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens has worked with Zagar to document and preserve his art. The nonprofit owns both Magic Gardens sites and maintains a full-time preservation team trained by the artist.
PMG said operations will continue as normal. A public memorial will be announced at a later date. Donations in Zagar’s memory may be made to the organization’s preservation fund.
"He was so inspired by other art environment sites and their creators, and, in that vein, was obsessed with creating something special, which he worked at every day for decades," Smith finished. "He loved Philadelphia and wanted it to be known for its art scene.”
