Vasco Brondi on Ferrara, New York, and the Art of Travel

In an interview at Milan's Museo del Novecento, Italian indie rock musician Vasco Brondi (born 1984 in Verona) discussed his relationship with New York, Ferrara, and Milan as part of the 'Vite Parallele: Italia, America' series, held alongside the exhibition 'New York New York. Arte Italiana: la riscoperta dell’America'. Brondi described Ferrara as a provincial anchor and New York as its conceptual opposite, yet noted that each city contains the idea of the other. He found New York more hospitable than London, and was struck by its 'ancient' quality—rusty and worn, unlike futuristic Los Angeles. He cited Keith Haring's Brooklyn Museum show and Patti Smith's ubiquitous presence as iconic New York touchstones. Brondi reflected on travel as a shift from distance to inaccessibility, inspired by Luigi Ghirri's Sunday trips and his own book with Massimo Zamboni, 'Anime galleggianti. Dalla pianura al mare tagliando per i campi', which explores the Polesine region. He argued that artistic freedom grows with age, shedding the need for approval, and that true liberty is being oneself, not endless choice. The interview was conducted by Tommaso Santambrogio.