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A medley of art for the culture
Philadelphia Magic Gardens presents Eustace Mamba’s Stone Soup
An Nichols
The current dismantling of the US political structure is nightmare-inducing, especially the prosecution of DEI programs in higher education. Considering such directed turmoil, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens (PMG) continued dedication to BIPOC and queer artists remains laudable and inspirational. I encourage all of you to attend and support their curated exhibition of Eustace Mamba’s work entitled Stone Stoup on view March 28 through June 1, 2025, which portrays members of the diaspora through mixed-media art.
Soup for the soul
Stone Soup clearly speaks to PMG’s overall objective. Individually, we all feel isolated and struggling. However, when we join as a community—we support each other; we feed each other, and we strengthen each other. Mamba’s mixed-media style is almost a visualization of the stone soup mentality. He transforms and fuses distinct everyday materials into a visual conglomerate. He deftly incorporates multiple artistic techniques in each of his pieces including painting, oils, collage, street photography, and sewing. The amalgamation of layers creates densely textured art.
The mixed-media portraits and East Coast cityscapes clearly pulled from Mamba’s tri-state background. He grew up in Queens but received his M.A. and B.F.A. from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. In New Kid, my favorite piece, Mamba uses fragments of Philly buildings and body parts to construct his subject’s face, all topped by a Phillies baseball cap. The decoupage technique conflated with a paint medium showcases brilliant depth. While Wild Eyes and Heat Wave are two other equally inspiring mixed media portraits, other odes to Philly culture include Philly Couple, Portrait off Spruce Street, and Rittenhouse MK. Pepper Pot clearly inspired the stone soup label with pencil drawings of public transportation, brightly colored images of row houses, actual food coupons, and banners sporting “all about love.”
Philly’s Magic Gardens remains one of my favorite Philadelphia institutions due to Isaiah Zagar’s striking mosaic art. But PMG’s ongoing dedication to BIPOC, female-identifying, and LGBTQIA+ members is even more critical in contemporary US culture. The Stone Soup exhibition, curated by PMG’s exhibitions manager Chelsey Luster, would’ve been culturally significant in 2024, but now it’s positively revolutionary.
At top: Eustace Mamba's The New Kid 2. (Image courtesy of PMG.)
What, When, Where
Stone Soup: Works by Eustace Mamba. March 28 Through June 1, 2025, at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, 1020 South Street, Philadelphia. $12-$15. (215) 733-0390 or phillymagicgardens.org.
March 28 offers a pay-what-you-wish opening day.
Accessibility
The Magic Gardens is primarily wheelchair-accessible. However, certain areas have restrictions. PMG also offers discounted tickets for attendees with disabilities. Check their website or call for details.
Featured image: “New Kid” is one of the pieces featured in ‘Stone Soup.’ (Image courtesy of Philadelphia Magic Gardens.)
Image description: A collage: young Black boy with a Phillies baseball cap, clothes made of mosaic fragments, and a skyline in the background.
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