Feb 20, 2026 - Culture

Isaiah Zagar, Philadelphia's mosaic trailblazer, dies

A bearded man in a white shirt and shorts stands smiling in front of a colorful mosaic wall depicting abstract shapes, hands, and a face using various tiles and patterns. — Isaiah Zagar stands beside one of his many artworks around Philly. Photo courtesy of Philadelphia's Magic Gardens

Renowned local artist Isaiah Zagar, whose prodigious output spans countries and is immortalized in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, died yesterday at 86.

Why it matters: Zagar's wildly colorful and freewheeling mosaic murals are forever part of Philly's DNA.

Driving the news: Zagar died from complications related to congestive heart failure and Parkinson's disease, per a statement.

Zoom in: Zagar was the brainchild and founder of Philadelphia's Magic Gardens in South Philly, an immersive wonderland of mixed-media art made up of handmade tiles, bicycle wheels, mirrors and bottles.

By the numbers: His mosaic murals cover more than 50,000 square feet of public walls and spaces around Philly.

Plus: More than 200 publics works can be found throughout the Western Hemisphere, including Hawaii, Mexico and Chile.

What else: Zagar's museum and Magic Gardens Studios, which has been owned by a nonprofit for years, will continue operating.

What's next: Details of Zagar's public memorial are TBD.

Add Axios on Google

Isaiah Zagar, Philadelphia's mosaic trailblazer, dies

More Philadelphia stories