Editing Philadelphias Magic Gardens (section)

== History ==

=== Isaiah Zagar ===

'''Isaiah Zagar''' (born 1939) moved to Philadelphia in 1968 with his wife Julia, opening the '''Eyes Gallery''' on South Street—a shop selling Latin American folk art. At the time, South Street was a declining neighborhood that city planners had targeted for demolition to build a crosstown expressway.

When the expressway was blocked by community activists, Zagar began beautifying the neighborhood by covering walls with mosaics, eventually creating over 200 public works throughout South Philadelphia.

=== Creating the Magic Gardens ===

In the 1990s, Zagar began transforming vacant lots at 1020 South Street into his masterwork:
* Covered walls, floors, and tunnels with mosaics
* Built sculptural environments and grottoes
* Worked continuously for over a decade
* Created without permission on land he didn't own

=== Legal Challenges ===

In 2002, the property owners discovered what Zagar had created and demanded he remove his work or buy the land. After a legal battle and fundraising campaign, Zagar purchased the lots in '''2004''', preserving the installation.

=== Opening as a Museum ===

'''Philadelphia's Magic Gardens''' opened as a nonprofit art museum in '''2008''', allowing public access to Zagar's vision while supporting his continued work and community programming.