Nancy Olnick may live in New York, but she embraces the Italian culture in all aspects of her life. Before she met her Sardininan- born husband Giorgio Spanu in 1989, Olnick collected 1960s Pop art. They took a mutual interest in the Arte Povera movement and began building their collection.

This movement originated in Italy. It consists of artists creating artwork using the simplest and poorest of materials – dirt, rocks, branches and rags – to express provocative and sometimes political messages. Olnick describes these artists as “dealing with the human condition.” The movement is a recognition of everyday importance and the meaning within simple objects.