Exhibitions

Events List

  • Walking Round My Head: Works by Stephen Wright

    Friday, September 20, 2024 -through Sunday, January 12, 2025
    Time: All day

    Description for Walking Round My Head: Works by Stephen Wright

    Stephen Wright is a London-based mixed-media artist and creator of the art environment, the “House of Dreams Museum”. Since 1998, Wright has been turning his home into an immersive work of art by embellishing its walls with thousands of personal items and repurposed objects found at flea markets. In “Walking Round My Head,” Wright showcases portrait drawings, masks, tapestries, and textile figures that tell the stories of his daily life. Using beads, dyed fabric, jewels, bold lines, and even bolder statements, Wright gives us a look into his inner thoughts.  

    “The House of Dreams Museum” originally began as a project with Wrights’ partner Donald Jones. Jones worked alongside Wright until he passed away after a long-term illness in 2004. Shortly after, both of Wright’s parents passed away as well. The house became a transformative space for Wright to process his grief. He combines mementos from his deceased loved ones with collected objects found at flea markets and uses them to adorn the walls, floors, and garden, creating a personal diary of memories and daily reflections.

    This exhibition, “Walking Round My Head” is in many ways an extension of the “House of Dreams Museum”, and is a reflection of Wright himself. His artwork connects us to deep themes of love, loss, and the human experience with all its laughter and tragedy.

    Purchase works from the show at PMG or in our Online Shop

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  • Lost Landscapes: The ‘Skin of the Bride’ mural by Isaiah Zagar

    Friday, January 17, 2025 -through Sunday, March 23, 2025
    Time: All day

    Description for Lost Landscapes: The ‘Skin of the Bride’ mural by Isaiah Zagar

    On view: January 17 – March 23, 2025

    Isaiah Zagar’s mural “The Skin of the Bride” on the walls of the former Painted Bride Art Center is a testament to his intricate and imaginative artistic vision. Completed in the 1990s, the 7,000-square-foot mosaic reflects Zagar’s signature style with its vibrant and eclectic use of materials. When the Painted Bride Art Center placed the building up for sale in 2017, the Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens (PMG) team fought tirelessly for 5 years in attempts to protect the mural but were unsuccessful. When the mural faced demolition in 2023, the PMG preservation team worked diligently to salvage the unique tiles and components that made up the artwork. This exhibition serves as both a tribute to the mural and an archive of the community’s attempt to protect Zagar’s remarkable contribution to public art. It offers a poignant look at the process of trying to save a significant cultural artifact while looking back in time at Zagar’s creation of this lost masterpiece.

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  • Stone Soup: Works by Eustace Mamba

    Friday, March 28, 2025 -through Sunday, June 1, 2025
    Time: All day
    Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens
    1020 South Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19147

    Description for Stone Soup: Works by Eustace Mamba

    On view March 28, 2025 – June 1, 2025
    Pay-As-You-Wish Opening Reception: Friday, March 28, 2025; 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
    Tour & Talk: Tuesday, April 1, 2025; 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

    Eustace Mamba‘s artistic practice delves into the complexities of identity, culture, and history, with a particular focus on the Black experience in America. His multidisciplinary approach spans painting, collage, street photography, and mixed-media installations, with an emphasis on sewing as a storytelling tool. This technique allows Mamba to transform materials into vibrant, layered compositions that reflect both personal and collective struggles, as well as moments of harmony.

    Mamba’s education at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts has been instrumental in shaping his artistic vision. He earned both a Master’s and Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from the institution, grounding his work in a profound exploration of recognition, representation, and belonging for Black people in America—issues that remain deeply relevant in both historical and contemporary contexts.

    His work often merges visual elements that contrast historical figures and events from Black history with imagery of contemporary Black life, particularly as it unfolds in East Coast cities like Philadelphia and New York. This blending of past and present creates a narrative space where viewers are invited to reflect on the complexities of race and identity across time.

    Mamba’s art has garnered recognition in prestigious collections, including the Woodmere Art Museum, the Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Through his innovative use of materials and concepts, Mamba continues to spark critical conversations about the cultural richness and resilience of Black communities, while expanding the role of contemporary art in driving social change.

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