A once-doomed masterpiece has found new life at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens.
The internationally renowned immersive art environment at 1020 South St. will honor and celebrate artist Isaiah Zagar’s lost mural from the former Painted Bride Arts Center at 230 Vine St.
The new exhibition, called “Lost Landscapes: The Skin of the Bride,” will be on display in the indoor galleries at Magic Gardens from Jan. 17 through March 23.
The effort to save Zagar’s artwork dates to 2017 when the Painted Bride Art Center put its property up for sale. It sparked a five-year legal battle that was led by Philadelphia Magic Gardens and attempted to preserve the 7,000-square-foot mural that took nine years to create and has adorned the exterior of the building since the 1990s. The artwork was hailed as a masterpiece by many, reflecting Zagar’s signature style through its vibrant and eclectic use of materials.
According to Philadelphia Magic Gardens’ website, the Atrium Design Group submitted a proposal to the Zoning Board of Adjustment in 2021 to build a seven-story apartment building that would have preserved the mural in its entirety. The design was unanimously approved, according to PMG, but was appealed by a small group of neighbors, including the owner of Chocolate Works Building. The appeal was granted in June 2022 that would demolish the building.
As a result, Magic Gardens’s preservation team staff spent days up on scissor lifts, chiseling off parts of the exterior of the building to save the mural’s unique tiles.
All the hard work has come to fruition as PMG will reveal these recovered pieces in Lost Landscapes: The Skin of the Bride mural by Zagar as a tribute to the mural and to serve as an archive of the community’s attempt to protect Zagar’s contribution to public art.
Visitors can explore archival photos documenting the mural’s development in the ’90s, view the reconstructed pieces salvaged by the PMG preservation team, and reflect on how everyday citizens can support and protect public art.
