Matteo Pericoli on Being a Stranger in New York and Finding Artistic Identity

Italian architect and illustrator Matteo Pericoli (Milan, 1968) discussed his relationship with New York during a talk series 'Vite parallele: Italia, America' at the Museo del Novecento in Milan, tied to the exhibition 'New York New York. Arte Italiana: la riscoperta dell’America' also at Gallerie d'Italia. Pericoli arrived in New York on one of the last TWA flights, landing at the new JFK terminal, intending to stay a year or two but remaining for thirteen years. He found in New York a city of strangers where he could embrace his foreignness and observe without judgment. His book 'Finestre sul mondo – 50 scrittori e 50 vedute' was inspired by the view from his New York apartment window and Tom Wolfe's choice of home for its vista. Pericoli transitioned from architecture to drawing after a boat trip around Manhattan, spending a year sketching the skyline in detail, a feat no one had done before. He now lives in Turin and avoids comparing cities, instead focusing on experiencing each place fully. He believes being a foreigner is essential for understanding oneself and one's art, and that the desire for elsewhere is crucial for creativity. Pericoli described 1990s New York as a person unaware of its beauty, changed drastically after 9/11, while Milan in the 1970s-80s was confused about its identity. He sees both cities as evolving identities, open to rediscovery.