Magazzino Italian Art — Attraction in Town of Philipstown

The secret is out! - this is a fabulous place for postmodern Italian art… I and my friends have found a new home from Brooklyn. (lol) we really enjoyed the space. The first thing that one notices is that this architecture is aesthetically, inviting… Though it appears to be just solid concrete… It allows you to immerse yourself within the space, and to take in the art from different angles… We love the aesthetics of the architecture, because it invites you in… it is not a stone- cold edifice. The interior space draws one in, while the floor to ceiling windows draws one out - the natural world abounds, but there is a synergy with the interior space. From my own perspective, The architecture of this museum seemingly reminded me of the Architecture by the Finnish architect, Eero Sarinen (Think of the TWA terminal at JFK, st. Louis arch, or Dulles air terminal in VA/Wash DC). The Permanent collection is incredibly eye– catching; The founders of the Museum are Mavens when it comes to bringing people from many walks of life into this space! It’s not hard to get to ….right outside cold Springs, New York; parking is ample …But get there early… They have a very user-friendly website that will guide you on dates that are available as well as current exhibits. The staff are incredibly friendly and well learned on the artwork on display. The museum also gives you a catalog of the permanent collection that provides you, the identification of the work, the year of creation, brief background of the artist and synopsis of what the work demonstrates from the artist’s perspective (what an amazing delight). We had a high school student amplify to us particular works of art in the permanent collection. We were very thankful and could see that this center of art is also a school of art for the benefit of the community; there is so much to learn and see in this space that it cannot be fully explained here … but… Go there and you’ll see what I mean. They have a beautiful café at the second pavilion, which is a little bit up a hill - but there is a road that will take you up there if you are not able to walk the short steps. The second collection consist of ongoing exhibits, some of The artwork in this collection is also on loan from other collections or other museums. This section of the collection is also home of the Murano glassware collection (circa 1930-1950s), seeing it was Therapeutic. The second art space is smaller, but what makes up for it is the comfortable and enjoyable café; however our favorite part of the visit was the Sardinian donkeys -you have to visit them!!!!! For those of you who love donkeys, think about the movie EO!!!!! This is a beautiful site … Overall, this is a great museum… And a perfect setting… The founders of this museum have done a great thing for the community here… This...

I'll preface my review by stating that I appreciate art that challenges norms and pushes boundaries. Engaging with dark, confrontational, or ambiguous art doesn't bother me--provided it has aesthetic or cultural merit.

That's why my recent visit to Magazzino Gallery, was a letdown. The Arte Povera pieces they focus on felt more notable for what they lacked rather than what they conveyed.

Many pieces felt phoned-in and lacked genuine skill or thought, as did the museum experience. The galleries don't provide descriptions on the walls, so you're left flipping through a book of low-res images and tiny print for any context. Even the staff appeared disengaged.

I'll spare you a lengthy analysis but to me, Arte Povera's attempt at being anti-elitist ends up reinforcing a different form of elitism. The entire exhibit reads like a psyop to lower public expectations of beauty, meaning, and depth--to make the working class more accepting of the status quo. And as a working person, it's galling to receive an anti-consumeristic message from wealthy artists and patrons who likely do little to curb their own indulgence in The Good Life™.

That said, there were some highlights. The Murano glass exhibit was fantastic, though it was a bit small--more of that would be great. The café is a gem, and the sbagliato on the patio was a refreshing break from the dismal art. The property itself is lovely, with beautiful gardens and well-cared-for Sardinian donkeys adding an almost bucolic touch that helps offset the Brutalist architecture.

While the art didn't hit the mark for me, these elements made the...

Unfortunately, this museum’s staff is hostile to the differently abled.

My mother was instantly ejected from the premises because she lightly touched a permanent installation (stone fixed to the floor) with her index finger exactly once. She has Alzheimer's and consequently poor short-term memory, so the extremely brief instructions given upon entry were not retained. Explaining this and requesting to be let off with a warning (after which I’d promised to closely monitor her) elicited zero understanding or sympathy. The volunteer staff instead doubled down, reiterating that the no-touch policy is strictly enforced AND a refund is out of the question (we were there for all of 20 minutes).

Avoiding and mitigating damage (which didn’t occur) is important for any museum. Exercising nuanced thinking in such a charge is an essential skill for gallery assistants — especially when the involved parties are elderly and disabled. The floor volunteers present on this day (1/18/25) demonstrated an inability to reason through such matters and as a result lost at least three patrons/supporters.

Single star given is for the donkeys. They're cute and seem to be well cared-for.

Quick note on the entry fee and quality of art: read about 1) museum tax laws and 2) the economics of art purchasing & storage. Draw your own...