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In 2005, I participated in a mural building project with famed Philadelphia artist, Isaiah Zagar at the Institute of Mosaic Art in Oakland, CA.. The event was held in conjunction with Laurel True’s opening of this fantastic institute in Oakland’s Jingletown Arts District where world-class mosaic art is taught and displayed. – Stacy Alexander
Isaiah Zagar received his BFA from Pratt Institute of Art in New York in painting and graphics. He has been working on a city wide mosaic environment for 35 years in Philadelphia, PA and is considered a visionary outside of the traditional art world. He has completed over 70 large scale installations and has exhibited his work internationally.
“In 1959 when I was 19 years old I was introduced to the folk art environment of Clarence Schmidt, My Mirrored Hope, Woodstock, NY USA. Soon after in 1960 there was a groundbreaking exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, NY USA. Because that exhibition included assemblages of artists like Pablo Picasso, Jean Dubuffet, Curt Schwitters, Antonio Gaudi along side of untrained brickaleurs Clarence Schmit, Simon Rodia and Joseph Ferdinand Cheval that gave me as a trained artist the rationale to include their concepts as manifestations of fine art. At a crucial time in my life it allowed me to begin what could be called a life’s work making the city of Philadelphia PA USA into a labyrinthine mosaic museum that incorporates all my varied knowledge and skills.” Institute of Mosaic Art
Mosaic Book – Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens The Art of Isaiah Zagar
The full color book featuring stories and pictures of Isaiah’s work.
http://www.isaiahzagar.org/books.html
Great book, fabulous photos… you can help support Isaiah’s projects by buying a piece of his artwork at http://www.isaiahzagar.org/stuff.html or take one of his workshops.
Side view, originally uploaded by John and Stacy.
Side view of “Isaiah’s Throne” by Stacy Alexander and John Freed with Isaiah Zagar mural at Institute of Mosaic Art in background.
Throne – view 2, originally uploaded by John and Stacy.
The finished product created with darjit. (We might paint it at a later date.)
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