Philadelphia Public Art @philart.net

Artist: Isaiah Zagar

University City High School Entrance
Isaiah Zagar
* abstract designs, horse, boat, seated person, dog
* Was on the West side of 36th, North of Filbert. The High School was torn down in 2015
* Entrance art.
* 39.957475,-75.194300 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Missing, Mosaic




Home of Isaiah and Julia Zagar
Isaiah Zagar, 1984
* big abstract mosaic
* Wall. South side of South, East of 9th, at Darien.
* 39.942450,-75.156401 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




Alder Street Garages
Isaiah Zagar, 1991
* abstract forms, parts of people, actual bottles and plates, bicycle wheel
* Walls. East side of Alder, South of South.
* 39.942680,-75.159125 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




Skin of the Bride
Isaiah Zagar, 1991 - 2000
* big abstract, words
* Was on the South side of Vine between 2nd and 3rd on the walls of the Painted Bride Art Center, which is no longer the home of the Painted Bride. The mosaic was dismantled in 2023.
* Walls.
* 39.955725,-75.143950 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Missing, Mosaic




Philadelphia's Magic Gardens
Isaiah Zagar, 1994 - 2013
* big abstract partial people, plates, dishes, cups, bottles, bicycle parts, words
* Large portions are visible from the sidewalk. See the website for admission information.
* Courtyard/garden. South side of South between 10th and 11th.
* 39.942825,-75.159400 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




Rose and the Firefighters
Isaiah Zagar, 1995 - 2004
* big abstract partial people, words
* Walls. West side of Alder between South and Kater and North side of Kater West of Alder.
* 39.942600,-75.159190 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




Vernon Park Mosaic
Isaiah Zagar, 1995 (very approximate)
* abstract mosaic, heads
* Wall. Northeast corner of Vernon Park. West side of Germantown, North of Chelten.
* 40.036450,-75.176600 [map] [nearby]
* On the Germantown Avenue tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic
* See also:
+ushistory.org's Vernon Park tour page




Schell Street Walls
Isaiah Zagar, 1996
* big abstract designs, plants, partial people, hats, tableware, words
* Sourrounds Schell Street Cosmos
* Walls. Both sides of Schell between South and Bainbridge.
* 39.942075,-75.156765 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




4005 Woodland Ave.
Isaiah Zagar, 1997
* big abstract mosaic
* House and driveway walls. North side of Woodland, West of the 40th St. Trolley Portal.
* 39.948685,-75.204890 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: New, Mosaic




Philadelphia Physicians for Social Responsibility
Isaiah Zagar, 1997
* big abstract sign, ideas
* Was on the West side of 23rd between Fairmount and Aspen. As of April, 2017 the property was for sale and the mosaic had been removed. The building is now gone.
* Wall.
* 39.967840,-75.175400 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Missing, Mosaic




Church of the Crucifixion
Isaiah Zagar, 1998
* abstract forms
* Wall and gate. West side of Church of the Crucifixion. North side of Bainbridge, West of 8th.
* 39.941670,-75.156160 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Religious, Mosaic
* See also:
+diopa.org's Church of the Crucifixion page




Dreamer (Yellow Snake)
Isaiah Zagar, 1999 (repaired 2014)
* big abstract eyes, ears, and lips, words
* Walls. West side of 8th, South of South.
* 39.942225,-75.155585 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




Carlos Carpet
Isaiah Zagar, 2000 (repaired 2011)
* abstract forms, dogs, parts of people, cursive words, plants, bottles
* Walls. North side of Bainbridge West of 5th.
* 39.941085,-75.151425 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




Homage to Mike Mattio, Master Plumber
Isaiah Zagar, 2000
* images, names, and a quote referencing William Blake, Paul Cezanne, Ornette Coleman, Charles Darwin, Miles Davis, Eric Dolphy, Donatello, El Greco, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Paul Gauguin, Stan Getz, Wassily Kandinsky, Brenda Kunda, Laocoon, Laozi, Mike Mattio, Katie McNamara, Henry Chapman Mercer, Thelonius Monk, Henry Moore, Edvard Munch, Simon Rodia, Henri Rousseau, Clarence Schmidt, Rebecca Sloan, Paolo Uccello, Vincent van Gogh and Johannes Vermeer
* big standing person, wearing a hat and carrying a plunger and wrench, right side up and upside down faces, crouching person, names and other words, a Darwin finch
* The list of referenced people was compiled by looking at pictures, watching the video, and web searches. There may be more.
* inscription: (2 excerpts from the intermingled text; the second is a Laozi quote):
Rembembering
the bath tub
the warm water
the big people
their hands
their faces
everyone giggling

There was something formlessly fashioned that existed before Heaven & Earth without sound without substance dependent on nothing unchanging all pervading unfailing

* Reed St. wall. South side of Bainbridge West of 5th.
* 39.940935,-75.151450 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic
* See also:
+ facebook video about this piece
+wikipedia.org's William Blake page
+wikipedia.org's Paul Cezanne page
+wikipedia.org's Ornette Coleman page
+wikipedia.org's Charles Darwin page
+wikipedia.org's Miles Davis page
+wikipedia.org's Eric Dolphy page
+wikipedia.org's Donatello page
+wikipedia.org's El Greco page
+wikipedia.org's Duke Ellington page
+wikipedia.org's Ella Fitzgerald page
+wikipedia.org's Paul Gauguin page
+wikipedia.org's Stan Getz page
+wikipedia.org's Wassily Kandinsky page
+wikipedia.org's Laocoon page
+ wikipedia.org's Laozi page
+wikipedia.org's Henry Chapman Mercer page
+wikipedia.org's Thelonius Monk page
+wikipedia.org's Henry Moore page
+wikipedia.org's Edvard Munch page
+wikipedia.org's Watts Towers of Simon Rodia page
+wikipedia.org's Henri Rousseau page
+wikipedia.org's Clarence Schmidt page
+wikipedia.org's Paolo Uccello page
+wikipedia.org's Vincent van Gogh page
+wikipedia.org's Johannes Vermeer page




South Street Laundromat Patio
Isaiah Zagar, 2001 - 2004
* big abstract partial people, bottles, bicycle wheels, words
* lower parts are visible through the fence
* Walls. East side of Schell, South of South.
* 39.942350,-75.156660 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




Yoel/Dylan
Isaiah Zagar, 2001
* faces, headgear, words, abstract forms, implication of a standing person
* inscription:
ART IS THE CENTER
OF THE REAL WORLD
HE LIVES A PAINTED LIFE
* Wall. North side of Bainbridge between 7th and 8th.
* 39.941495,-75.154775 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




Hip Hop Cafe
Isaiah Zagar, 2002
* big abstract forms possibly suggesting parts of people
* Wall. East side of 5th and Passyunk South of Bainbridge.
* 39.940515,-75.150915 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




Thunderbolt Jackson
Isaiah Zagar, 2002
* abstract mosaic, partial people
* The artist lists this piece as "Thunderbolt Jackson" but the spelling in the piece itself is "Jaxon"
* Wall. Northeast corner 10th and Dickinson.
* 39.930850,-75.161175 [map] [nearby]
* On the South Philly tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




Philadelphia Dance
Isaiah Zagar, 2004
* abstract mural, partial people
* Wall. Lombard and Jessup (North side of Lombard, West of 11th).
* 39.944150,-75.160400 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




Gloriously Freemasons
Isaiah Zagar, 2005
* big standing people, reclining person, arms and legs, text
* There is a historical marker on the sidewalk near this piece identifying it as the site of the Standard Theatre which says "Owned by Black Entrepeneur John T. Gibson, this theater featured noted Black Amarican entertainers of the 1920s including Duke Ellington and Ethel Waters. The theater attracted multi-racial audiences until it closed in 1931." According to one reference found in Google books, but not his Wikipedia page, Gibson was a Mason.
* East facing wall. South side of South between 11th and 12th.
* 39.942945,-75.161175 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Black Lives, Mosaic
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Standard Theatre page
+Harlem Renaissance Lives from the African American National Biography




This Is The Day, Jesus Journey
Isaiah Zagar, 2006
* Excerpts from the Gospels pertaining to the life of Jesus
* words
* On the wall. In the front yard of Waters Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church. Southeast corner, South and Clifton.
* 39.942810,-75.159650 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Religious, Mosaic
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Jesus page
+watersmemorialamec.org




This Is The Day
Isaiah Zagar, 2009
* abstract partial people, pair of people, fish
* inscription: This is the day the lord hath made
* Wall. Southeast corner, 24th and Poplar.
* 39.972175,-75.175850 [map] [nearby]
* On the Fairmount tour
* Exhibits: Religious, Mosaic




Ellen's Bicycle
Isaiah Zagar, 2011
* abstract partial people, bicycle, vertical people, horizontal people, actual plates and bottles
* Wall. South side of South between 12th and 13th.
* 39.943260,-75.162810 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




Napoli Pizza
Isaiah Zagar, 2011
* big abstract partial people, hats
* Walls. East side of 7th, North of Carpenter.
* 39.937140,-75.154880 [map] [nearby]
* On the South Philly tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




Giotto on Steroids
Isaiah Zagar, 2012
* Reference to the work of Giotto
* big abstract partial people
* visible through a locked gate
* Alley walls. South side of South, East of 10th.
* 39.942675,-75.158250 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Giotto page




My Dog Blue
Isaiah Zagar, 2012
* dog, face in profile, bird, unidentified creature, plants, abstract shapes, address, plate painted with a standing person, staff and hat
* Wall by the subway entrance. West side of Broad, South of Tasker.
* 39.930315,-75.168615 [map] [nearby]
* On the South Philly tour




Suburban Station
Isaiah Zagar, 2012
* sign, words, standing, running, walking, sitting people, faces, hats, glasses, abstract designs
* inscription:
Welcome to Suburban Station Concourse
Every day in Philadelphia
lips, nose, eyes
Love
hat
shoes
boots
my phone
lost and found
so many places
Talk Radio
Worth Millions
Walkers
Do I have my wallet????
Seeing see
stockings
gaberdine
* Inside. Suburban Station. Underground, North of the Southeast corner of 17th and JFK..
* 39.954275,-75.168075 [map] [nearby]
* On the JFK North tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic, Mass Transit
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Suburban Station page




Bilal From Pakistan
Isaiah Zagar, 2013
* big head and partial people, rats, dogs, cat, bird, abstract plant forms
* Wall. West side of Clifton, South of South.
* 39.942810,-75.159865 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




Camac Center
Isaiah Zagar, 2014
* abstract parts of people, words
* Wall. East side of Camac, South of Walnut.
* 39.948450,-75.161430 [map] [nearby]
* On the Gayborhood tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic




While Everything Is Happening Everywhere Else
Isaiah Zagar, 2017
* abstract heads, hats, dog
* Wall. Lombard and Isemenger (North side of Lombard between 12th and 13th).
* 39.944450,-75.162700 [map] [nearby]
* On the Lombard-South tour
* Exhibits: Black Lives, Mosaic


See Also

+phillymagicgardens.org