Pietro Mereu's Quarantine Letter from Milan During Coronavirus Lockdown

In a series of letters published by Artribune during Italy's coronavirus lockdown, filmmaker Pietro Mereu writes from his 20-square-meter apartment in Milan's B42 district, a former drug fort now inhabited by students and artists. He reflects on his Sardinian origins, the contrast with his current confinement, and the resurgence of wildlife in urban spaces. Mereu describes his personal survival strategy: healthier eating, drawing on childhood imagination, and resisting the urge to produce clichéd pandemic art. He recounts a psychotherapy session where his analyst noted that those accustomed to anxiety may cope better. Mereu speculates on a future bifurcation: a new renaissance if Europe and governments support families and businesses, or a radical change in work and habits. He observes friends considering returning to their hometowns, inspired by remote work possibilities. The letter ends with Mereu's nascent desire for a child, seeing it as part of a rebirth alongside nature.