Italian art will have a prominent place in New York this September as Magazzino Italian Art presents “Arte Povera: Medium and Message” at Printed Matter’s 2026 NY Art Book Fair. The event runs September 24–27 at MoMA PS1 in Queens and celebrates the fair’s 20th anniversary.
Curated by Magazzino director Nicola Lucchi, the bibliographic exhibition explores an often overlooked side of Arte Povera – the essential role of books, magazines, catalogs and other printed materials in shaping and spreading the influential Italian movement.
The term Arte Povera was coined by critic Germano Celant in 1967. While the movement became internationally known for sculpture, installations and performances using organic and industrial materials, its ideas also traveled through printed pages. Artist books, theoretical writings, gallery publications and avant-garde magazines became spaces for experimentation and helped Italian artists reach audiences beyond national borders.
Among the rare materials on display are early editions of writings by Celant, Carla Lonzi, Achille Bonito Oliva and Lea Vergine, alongside publications by artists including Alighiero Boetti, Luciano Fabro, Jannis Kounellis, Mario Merz, Giuseppe Penone and Michelangelo Pistoletto.
The exhibition draws from Magazzino’s Research Center, whose specialized collections contain more than 5,000 volumes devoted to postwar and contemporary Italian art, design, architecture and Murano glass.
The 2026 NY Art Book Fair will bring together more than 300 exhibitors. Alongside its historical selections, Magazzino will present its own books and posters – highlighting how Italian artistic research and publishing continue to connect Italy with New York’s international cultural community.
