BY MICHAEL BURKE
Journal Times
Next month, Uptown will visibly and vividly proclaim its artist relocation program with a large, outdoor mosaic mural.
The artist, Isaiah Zagar, is well-known in Philadelphia for his large, outdoor mosaic murals on building exteriors. On his Web site, http://www.isaiahzagar.org, Zagar says his life’s work is making Philadelphia into a “labyrinthine mosaic museum.”
Racine Mayor Gary Becker spent a couple of days in Philadelphia in January and discovered Zagar’s many creations. Becker said he thought Zagar’s work would be a perfect way to publicly declare Uptown an artists’ district. Racine is working to rejuvenate the Uptown area by bringing in artists to live, work and open galleries there.
Becker met Zagar while in Philadelphia.
“When I met Isaiah, after about five minutes I’m like, ‘Do you ever travel?’ ” he said.
They worked out an arrangement that will bring Zagar here from June 9-17 to make a mural — with community help. Zagar’s tentative canvas is the north side, both the first and second stories of the Nielsen, Madsen & Barber building, 1339 Washington Ave.
Kristin Niemiec, the city’s commercial corridor specialist, said Zagar will do the entire project after he arrives, including the design. He will first solicit ideas in a public meeting.
Becker said Zagar will have enough time to do the project from start to finish.
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Filed under: mosaic, mosaic art, public art | Tagged: mosaic, mosaic art, mosaics
