When it was announced last year that the former Painted Bride Art Center would be demolished, Philadelphia's Magic Gardens scrambled to salvage tiles from a mosaic that its creator spent nine years making. Next month, those pieces will be displayed in the South Street art gallery.
The "Lost Landscapes: The 'Skin of the Bride'" exhibit is an homage to Isaiah Zagar's 7,000-square-foot mural that was on the exterior of the Old City building at 230 Vine St., which has yet to be destroyed. From Jan. 17 to March 23, Magic Gardens visitors can view the tribute with the price of admission.
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In addition to the tiles that were rescued, the exhibit includes photos of the mosaic's creation in the 1990s and dives into the community's attempt to save the artwork. Chelsey Luster, exhibition manager at the Magic Gardens, said the display unpacks what happens when politics and preservation clash.
"In cities like Philadelphia, public art, along with local history, culture and identity, often face threats from urban renewal and construction," Luster said. "We hope this exhibition inspires residents and city officials to take active steps in preserving public art and other cultural pillars amid the rapid development that is currently taking place."
The Painted Bridge Art Center put the building up for sale in 2017 and moved to 52nd and Market streets in West Philly. Over the next few years, groups fought to preserve the piece, including a failed attempt at a historic designation. In 2022, it was sold to the Atrium Design Group, and the building has been vacant since.
Atrium previously proposed a plan to build luxury townhomes on top of the existing structure, which would have kept the piece intact. However, that decision was appealed by a group of Old City residents who cited the 65-foot building limit in the neighborhood. The architecture company then proposed a six-story, H-shaped building incorporating tiles from the mural, though it would largely destroy the mosaic.
In February, Atrium listed the property for sale — although owner Shimi Zakin told the Philadelphia Inquirer he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to sell it. The listing has since been taken down. Zakin did not return a request for comment on his plans for the building.