The beloved Cold Spring, New York institution Magazzino Italian Art just debuted its updated leadership roster, with Adam Sheffer as director, Paola Mura as artistic director, Monica Eisner as Chief Operating Officer and Nicola Lucchi as director of education at the Germano Celant Research Center. Together, they bring decades of experience working in museums, non-profits and galleries to their roles, positioning Magazzino for its next phase of development. The change follows last year’s opening of the Robert Olnick Pavilion along with an expanded exhibition program and new amenities.
“Seven years ago, we opened Magazzino with a single building devoted to presenting our collection of Arte Povera,” founders Nancy Olnick and Giorgio Spanu said in a statement, reflecting on the museum’s evolution. “Since then, it has blossomed into a major institution for post-war and contemporary Italian art, and we are excited to name the leadership team that will advance Magazzino in all areas, from curatorial and educational programs to community outreach and fundraising.” Today, Magazzino has a nine-acre campus. The first building, designed by Miguel Quismondo, hosts exhibitions drawn from the Olnick Spanu Collection, while the newly added pavilion, designed by Alberto Campo Baeza with Miguel Quismondo, houses temporary exhibitions.
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Adam Sheffer joins Magazzino after thirty-five years in the art industry, having held senior roles at Cheim & Read, Pace Gallery and Lisson Gallery, as well as serving as president of the Art Dealers Association of America. He is also a benefactor of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. “I have followed Magazzino closely from its earliest days and seen its remarkable evolution as it has risen from conception into a peerless center for Italian culture,” he said in a statement. “There is no other place in the world with its mission; few can match its engaging spirit. I am honored to join and help this institution build on its strong foundations.” When asked for a comment by Observer, Sheffer added, “Our vision is not new, but expanded. We can do more than ever, which is very exciting for all of us.”
“The opening of the Robert Olnick Pavilion has given Magazzino an extraordinary opportunity to create exhibitions and events that connect the permanent collection on view in the Main Building with new voices and perspectives in post-war and contemporary Italian art,” Paola Mura told Observer. Mura, who hails from Italy, previously served as director of the Civic Museums of Cagliari, where Giorgio Spanu also has roots. She holds a PhD in Architecture-Museum Studies and brings over thirty years of experience in cultural heritage conservation and management, having worked with the city administration of Cagliari, the Italian Ministry of Culture and the EACEA Agency of the European Commission. Mura has previously curated shows at Magazzino, including “Arte Povera from the Olnick Spanu Collection” and “Marco Anelli: Building Magazzino,” and continues to serve as a curator for numerous public and private institutions.
“My role will be to develop programming that prioritizes new and previously underrepresented perspectives in Italian art since the Second World War,” she said, speaking on her vision for the future. “The art in the Main Building is the foundation. Now, we are expanding the Museum’s curatorial vision to take a wider view of postwar and contemporary Italian art and culture. We aim to make Magazzino simultaneously more locally rooted and internationally engaged.”
New COO Monica Eisner joins Magazzino after working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she oversaw operations in the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art, following roles at the International Center of Photography and Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Nicola Lucchi, who has a PhD in Italian Studies, arrives from the Center for Italian Modern Art (CIMA), where he served as executive director from 2022 to 2024.
Currently on view at Magazzino Italian Art are “Welcome to New York!” (dedicated to the work of artist Michelangelo Pistoletto), “Carlo Scarpa: Timeless Masterpieces” Marco Anelli: Building Magazzino 2014–2024” and “Ettore Spalletti: Parole di colore.”
