News/Upcoming Events
- PMG Closing Early for Back to School Ball!
Back to School Ball
Friday, September 10, 6:00 - 9:00 pm
Come experience a FREE evening for educators amongst the shimmering mosaics of Philadelphia's Magic Gardens! The evening will feature tours of PMG, hands-on art activities, PMG lesson plans, music, refreshments, raffle prizes and more. RSVP strongly recommended. Please contact khealy@philadelphiasmagicgardens.org. - Summer Walking Tours
April through September
Saturdays 12:00pm and 4:00pm; Sundays 4:00pm
Enjoy an hour-long guided walk through South Philadelphia's side streets to view Isaiah Zagar's glittering creations! Led by a trained Philadelphia's Magic Gardens interpreter, you'll learn detailed information about Zagar's technique along with the personal and community stories depicted in his large, shimmering murals.
Walking tours are $10 for adults, $6 for children, and student group prices are available when scheduled in advance. Tour price includes all-day admission to PMG.
- Instructional video for sale
Monumental Mosaics: The Isaiah Zagar Method is now for sale at Philadelphia's Magic Gardens and online. This step-by-step instructional video will teach you how to build a mosaic mural, from start to finish, using the method of renowned mosaicist Isaiah Zagar. From gathering the proper materials to polishing the finished product, this video will introduce you to the mosaic medium and prepare you to undertake a project of your own.
To order your copy today, please click here. - Arts on South
July 23, 2010 - September 15, 2010
6:00pmPMG has been selected to organize the second series of Arts on South, a program that loans unrented retail stores to local artists to showcase their artworks. In collaboration with the South Street Head House District, Arts on South will be revitalized, offering four gallery spaces that feature professional art exhibitions, completed by mid-July.
The first gallery participants are Dumpster Divers, Green Light Arts, HomeSkooled Gallery, and the Philadelphia Center for the Book. These collectives will exhibit a variety of artistic genres including sculpture, printmaking, painting, installation, photography, book arts, new media, and performance. Be sure to visit the "Fourth Friday" receptions and events on July 23!
PMG
will partner with twelve students from the Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN) to
create the exciting new youth program, ArtWorks, to foster creative economy and civic engagement through Arts on South. The students will
assist in the daily management of the galleries, receive
lectures by arts professionals, and interact with local artists.
- Little Known Travel
Watch this beautiful video of Alexa Sita from Little Known Philadelphia exploring our magical sculpture labyrinth!
http://http://www.alexasita.com/Site/Philadelphia-Magic_Gardens.html - Cuddle Magic Gardens
September 11, 2010
7:00pmCuddle Magic Gardens is a multi-sensory, multi-media performance completely immersed within the labyrinthine mosaic world of Philadelphia's Magic Gardens (PMG). Start the journey by walking through projected images and a site-specific sound installation spread throughout PMG's sparkling corridors. Following self-exploration throughout the space, you will be saturated by a blend of imagery and music, intertwining visual projections with the band's quirky compositions. Cuddle Magic's music for this performance will combine new and old arrangements with a variety of visual elements and envelopes it all in the glittering treasures of a Philadelphia masterpiece. Music and sounds before and after Cuddle Magic's performance will be provided by Philadelphia's own Josh Carrigan. This never-to-be-duplicated 2010 Fringe Festival performance is guaranteed to make you feel warm and snuggly.
Cuddle Magic is a large songwriting collective that performs boundary-stretching, complex, and yet surprisingly relatable avant-pop music. Cuddle Magic draws formal and rhythmic inspiration from North Indian, West African, Balkan, and Appalachian music to create the folk music of an imaginary people. You will hear trumpets mingling with bass, a Rhodes piano cozying up to drums, woodwinds blending with vibraphone, and vocals dancing around acoustic guitars. Between their delicate vocal harmonies and their compact and cluttered setup, Cuddle Magic creates a uniquely intimate atmosphere in any setting.
Doors open and projects begin at 7:00pm. Entry is $10.
cuddle-magic.com
fyorecords.com/artists/josh_carrigan
- September Family Jam: Reverse Painting
September 12, 2010
12:00pm
September Family Jam: Reverse Painting
Sunday, September 12, 2010 12:00 - 5:00 pm
Isaiah uses reverse painting techniques on glass to add vibrant colors to his mosaic murals. For September's Family Jam, everyone can create and take home their own reverse paintings from 12:00 - 4:00 pm. Kid friendly tours will be held at 1:00 and 4:00 pm. All Family Jam workshops and activities are FREE with admission. Tours are $3 per person plus admission. Family memberships are available for free admission and ongoing discounts. - PMG Music & Mosaics Concert Series presents Elf Power, Major Organ the Movie and Folklore
September 23, 2010
7:00pmAthens, Georgia invades Philadelphia's Magic Gardens for a night of haunted narratives, hilariously strange visuals and widely acclaimed psych-rock. On September 23, Elf Power stops by PMG during their 2010 tour bringing along with them the enigmatic, Major Organ the Movie, and joining musical friends, Folklore. So relax, pop open a beer (possibly an Athens brewed Terrapin) and enjoy the southern atmosphere.
Folklore, personal project of Elf Power guitarist Jimmy Hughes, invokes spirits of
the past with ghostly tales linked by poetic lyrics and a large arrangement of
instruments. Hughes, a graduate of English and Writing programs, started Folklore
as an outlet for novellas that didn't quite work out on paper. After relocating from Athens Georgia to
Philadelphia in 2009, Hughes was able to piece together a full band, 10 members
to be exact, as well as gain respect in the Philadelphian music community in a
matter of months. Using lyrical prose to spin a web of imagery and curiosity,
Folklore captures audiences in the way that fantastical bed time stories
capture children.Major Organ the Movie is a production of Elephant 6, a collective of American musicians
whose members are responsible for such notable bands as Neutral Milk Hotel, Elf
Power and Of Montreal. Written
by Eric Harris, member of Elf Power and Oliver Tremor Control and Joey Foreman,
film maker and special effects artist, Major Organ the Movie creates a
child-like dream-world. Filmed without
sound, this short movie features old-school silent film styled subtitles and music
from the album Major Organ and the Adding
Machine.
Filled with preposterous visuals, whimsical ideas and nonsensical
characters, Major Organ is sure to confuse and delight audiences of all ages. The Major Organ projects are supposedly led
by a man of the same name who may or may not exist. 
Elf Power, a flagship of the psych rock scene over the past 16 years, is
touring yet again for the release of their tenth studio album. Band members Andrew Reiger, Jimmy Hughes, Derek
Almstead, Eric Harris and Laura Carter created this self-titled album as a
staple of their spiritual endurance and evolution as a band. Elf Power is dedicated to the band's
longtime friend, musical collaborator and fellow Athens native Vic Chestnut who
passed shortly after touring for Chestnut's and Elf Power's collaborative album
"Dark Developments". The Music & Mosaic Concert Series is Philadelphia's Magic Gardens BYOB concert series held every fourth Saturday of the month. Concerts feature local artists of every style, from bossa nova to bluegrass. Admission is $10/Adults and $8/Members and Students. September's Music and Mosaic concert's date was changed from the fourth Saturday in order to accommodate Elf Power's touring schedule.
