I recently had the opportunity to visit Philly Magic Gardens for the first time, and while I had heard about it and seen some photos, I didn’t truly understand what it was until I went there myself. 

Philly Magic Gardens is an art installation, or more accurately an art environment, created by Isaiah Zagar and and his wife, Julia. It is an entire building, from yard, to basement, to roof, that is covered in mosaics, sculpture, and various found objects. But beyond what it’s made of, PMG is an art environment that takes on the form of a sketchbook in how it is a visual record of time, events, people, and thought process. Throughout the house and yard, you can see motifs, experiments, and quotes from various artists and authors around the space. Because it was created over the course of nearly a decade, there is a record of various events and people who were part of the creation of the installation. I wasn’t expecting how much art history and ideas about creating art were built into Philly Magic Gardens. 

Beyond the physical art environment, there is also a gallery space that displays other visionary and folk artists. There was an exhibition of various traditional Mexican folk art work in the gallery, created by artists and families that Isaiah Zagar met in his travels. Philly Magic Garden’s mission is to ‘inspire creativity and public engagement by educating the public about folk, mosaic, and visionary art.’ This collaboration and education was apparent throughout the installation, and is a key part of it. 

I was very inspired by the feeling of Philly Magic Gardens; it is an excellent example of an art environment and public installation. I was enthralled by the amount of ideas contained within it. The overall sight is both fascinating and overwhelming, and draws you in through curiosity. A wall covered in mirrors, bicycle wheels, and glass bottles is an odd and out of place sight, and makes one want to look closer. Once drawn in, the sheer complexity of the place keeps you there. There is just so much detail everywhere. You could spend hours in the Magic Gardens and see only a fraction of it. There are guided tours through the space, which makes sense; There’s years worth of history and creation that isn’t immediately apparent on the first pass. What I think is particularly successful about PMG is how it is accessible to non-artists in how the space is awe-inspiring and fascinating to experience, while also being intensely filled with art history and process for those who are looking for it. 

VIsiting Philly Magic Gardens was an immensely inspiring experience. Previously I’ve thought about installation as individual spaces and projects, but PMG is leading me to think about art environments as a potential avenue. There’s something powerful in repurposing an ‘ordinary’ space and completely transforming it into an experience. This is a lesson that I want to remember.