Isaiah Zagar, the acclaimed Philadelphia-based mosaic artist whose intricate mirrored dreamscapes transformed buildings across the city, has died at the age of 86. The artist passed away on Thursday at his home due to complications from heart failure and Parkinson’s disease, according to Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, the non-profit art centre he founded.
Born in Philadelphia, Zagar returned to the city in 1968 with his wife, Julia, following a stint with the Peace Corps in Peru. Over the decades, he created hundreds of public mosaics, many of which adorn structures along the city’s vibrant South Street corridor, where the couple resided.
