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Isaiah Zagar, renowned Jewish mosaic artist who created Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, dies at 86

JL;DR SUMMARY Isaiah Zagar, a prominent Jewish mosaic artist renowned for his transformative public art installations in Philadelphia and the creation of the iconic Philadelphia Magic Gardens, passed away at the age of 86. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

PhiladelphiaJewish ArtistsPublic ArtIsaiah ZagarMagic GardensMosaic ArtUrban AestheticsClarence SchmidtIn A DreamArt Legacy

Places mentioned

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
"Isaiah Zagar, the famed Jewish mosaic artist whose shimmering, kaleidoscopic installations transformed streets and buildings across Philadelphia and founded the citys Magic Gardens, has died."
Brooklyn, New York, United States
"Born Irwin Zagar in Philadelphia in 1939, Zagar grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he received his bachelors in painting and graphics at the Pratt Institute of Art."
Woodstock, New York, United States
"In 1959, when Zagar was 19, he received a summer art scholarship to go to Woodstock, New York, where he encountered the works of famed outside artist Clarence Schmidt who would later become his mentor."
Mexico
"More than 200 of his mosaic pieces can also be found across several states and in Mexico and Chile."
Chile
"More than 200 of his mosaic pieces can also be found across several states and in Mexico and Chile."

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Retrieved 2026-02-20 18:00:30 UTC
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