Philadelphia's Magic Gardens

I spoke in Monday’s Philadelphia art piece of how it’s a city embracing art at street level; and, although I love visiting museums and galleries as much as the next person, it’s an ethos that really sits well with me… I find myself being much more inspired and excited by art when I’m not expecting to see it.

It was on my second day in the City of Brotherly Love that I came across the staggering Philly icon, that is Philadelphia Magic Gardens. Like a child, I couldn’t get out of the bus quick enough to take a closer look. The scale of Isaiah Zagar‘s art environment, gallery and community centre is vast, spanning half a block of the famous South Street; as well as comprising a fully tiled indoor space. The sun was shining on this bewildering, mosaicked madness – and the hundreds of coloured bottles, mirrors and tiles seemed to glisten all the more. A closer inspection revealed that most objects, quite frankly, wouldn’t look out of place in a tip, but somehow, they mould into this wonder-sculpture flawlessly; bicycle wheels, folk art statues, tiles spelling out messages, plates… I’m sure you get the picture.

It’s on entering the Magic Gardens though that you start to understand why the locals rallied around Zagar when he nearly lost the property due to rising land values in 2002, and walking through the labyrinth of tunnels and grottos, up steps and down steps, the sense of wanting to stay forever – exploring its nooks and crannies – gets ever stronger.

Zagar has other public murals in his hometown, his work can be found on over 100 public walls throughout the city of Philadelphia, and indeed around the world. Philadelphia Magic Gardens become a nonprofit organisation in 2004.

@magicgardens