1020 South Street
Philadelphia, PA
My favorite artists are ones that find their passion and pursue it, with no thought to commercialism, or the sale. The thing that is shunned by the neighbors, until they realize you aren’t a crazy old coot, you have a vision and it is just different.
Well, I found one of those in Philadelphia. His name is Isaiah Zargar. His work looks like that of an educated artist, and he is, having graduated from Pratt Institute in NYC. While a young 19 years old he discovered the folk art of Clarence Schmidt which definitely inspired his work.
The street that runs parallel to the Magic Gardens
In 1994, Zagar started work in the vacant lots located near his studio. The vacant lots became “Magic Gardens” at 1020 South Street in Philadelphia. He constructed a massive fence to protect the area and then spent the next 12 years excavating tunnels and grottoes, sculpting multi-layered walls and tiling and grouting the 3,000 square foot space. In 2002, the actual property owner wanted to sell the property, the community came together and incorporated as a non-profit to promote and preserve this wonderful slice of heaven.
There are wonderful sayings all over the place including: “I built this sanctuary to be inhabited by my ideas and my fantasies.” Another says, “Remember walking around in this work of fiction.” or “Art is the Center of the World.” I could put up 100 pictures, and it wouldn’t be enough. To say nothing of the fact that he has created over 130 other murals scattered throughout the South Street Area. If you get a chance to visit Philadelphia, get off the beaten path and go see the “Magic Gardens”.
A small museum sits underground
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