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Connecting Cultures Through The Eye’s Gallery
The Eye’s Gallery has been curating Indian and Latin American folk art, jewelry, and handmade gifts, drawing visitors from across Philadelphia and beyond.
Tucked in along Philadelphia’s South Street, the Eye’s Gallery has been around since 1968, owned by Julia Zagar and her late husband, Isaiah Zagar.
Their journey began when the Zagar’s met in the Peace Corps in Peru and started exploring craft development and designing products for the international market. From there, they decided to settle in South Street where they found vacant buildings and made a living centered around the arts.
“We did go on and work for many years at the Eye’s Gallery, traveling back and forth to different countries in Latin America that we enjoyed and were interested in the craft development that they had in their countries, and we presented it in Philadelphia,” Julia Zagar said.
Over the years , the Eye’s Gallery also showcased the work of American artists,at one point filling three floors filled with handmade pieces from creators around the world.
In July 2022, Eye’s Gallery suffered a great loss after a fire compromised the building and many of the artists’ work. With the help of the neighborhood and community, they hosted two fire sales, using the $75,000 raised to help open the new location across the street from their original spot near the Theatre of Living Arts.
The new location has allowed the gallery to focus on highlighting individual artists and sharing more about their stories and creative process.
“I mean, to look at our store, it’s really a sculpture in itself. It’s very organic and has color, and [Isaiah Zagar] redid the pathway into the store, and all the curtains, so we have color, we have clothing that the Eye’s Gallery always was, which was folk art jewelry and clothing,” she said.
Both Julia and Isaiah Zagar have emphasized the need to learn about the different cultures and getting to know people behind the art. As South Street continues to grow, Julia Zagar mentioned how the area offers freedom in creativity that has allowed the gallery to blossom and give other people the opportunity to open up their own little shops as well.
At the same time, Isaiah Zagar transformed much of the neighborhood through his mosaic work, most notably at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens. He was able to work with local artists to transform their South Street neighborhood into what it is today.
“It was the magic of Philadelphia, in that it really allowed us to do our dreams, and not be too confining. We are from New York City originally, and you could never have done that. The rates are too high, the laws are too restrictive, and people are not as open to new ideas as they are here.” Julia Zagar said.
The Eye’s Gallery hosts events for the community, such as a ceramic show and the Indian Kutch fabrics that people from the community can learn about different cultures and the art that each country brings.
“I think that the community of Philadelphia is very special, and this is what a lot of people tell me is very special, because it is still based on communities,” she said.
“They all add to a spice of this city that is very special, and they’re bringing all their specialties here to Philadelphia.”
