Matteo Pericoli was born in Milan where he graduated from the Polytechnic School of Architecture.
In 1995 he moved to New York where he worked as an architect, illustrator, author, journalist and teacher. From 1997 to 2000 he worked at the architectural firm Richard Meier & Partners as the project architect for the Jubilee Church in Rome.
His drawings have appeared in various newspapers and magazines, both in the US and in Europe – including, among others, The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Observer, La Stampa and Bell’Italia. His articles have been published in various Italian periodicals.
In 2007 he completed Skyline of the World, a 397-foot-long panoramic mural for American Airlines’ International Terminal at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
In 2010, Matteo founded the Laboratory of Literary Architecture, which he has taught, among other places, at Columbia University (New York); the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; the National Taiwan University (Taipei); the Department of Architecture of the University of Ferrara (Italy); the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo (Turin); the Scuola Holden (Turin); Southwestern University (Texas) and high schools in Maryland, California, Oklahoma and Turin (Italy).
His Literary Architecture series was featured in The Paris Review Daily, the Italian national newspaper La Stampa and in the Italian weekly Pagina99.
His books have been published in the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, South Korea, Taiwan and China.
Matteo taught architecture and illustration at Saint Ann’s School (Brooklyn, NY) for several years and held a Visiting Professorship at the Polytechnic of Turin (Italy), Faculty of Architecture, where he currently lives with his wife and daughter.
Exhibitions
Colibrì caffè letterario, Milan (Italy), “Finestre su New York”, January – March 2020
Art for Amnesty (Amnesty International), drawing for “I WELCOME” anniversary book project, exhibited at DOX Centre for Contemporary Art in Prague, March – August 2018
Eggers 2.0, Turin (Italy), “Le architetture letterarie di Matteo Pericoli”, September 2017
La Grande Invasione literary festival, Ivrea (Italy), “Windows on the World”, “Windows on New York”, and “Manhattan Unfurled”, June 2016
Tricromia International Art Gallery, Rome (Italy), “Finestre sul mondo”, November 2015 – February 2016
Spazio 515 Creative Shop, Turin (Italy), “Windows on the World”, November 2014
Casa dei libri, Milan (Italy), “Finestre di scrittori”, November – December 2012
PM Gallery and House, Pitzhanger Manor-House, Ealing (West London), “London Unfurled”, July – September 2012
Ca’ Foscari University, Venice (Italy), “Drawings from Within”, May – July 2012
A.R.T.e.s. Galerie Forschungsschule, Cologne (Germany), “Drawings from Within”, January – April 2012
Festival America 2010 in Vincennes, Paris, September 2010
Basilica of S. Alessandro in Fiesole, Florence (Italy), “New York e altri disegni,” April – July 2005
XXXVIII Prix International d’Art Contemporain de Monte-Carlo, Monaco, June – July 2004
The New Yorker Magazine, New York City, “The Geometry of Light” (group exhibit), February 2004 – March 2004
Municipal Art Society, New York City, “Manhattan Within,” December 2003 – January 2004
Galleria Il Gabbiano, Rome, Italy, November – December 2003
New-York Historical Society, New York City, “Manhattan Unfurled,” October 2001 – January 2002
Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò of NY University, New York City, “Manhattan Unfurled & other works,” December 1999 – January 2000
Italian Cultural Institute, New York City, “Manhattan Unfurled,” October 1999
Awards
AIGA, Borders Group, Inc. (nomination for “2006 Original Voices Award”)
Cooper-Hewitt – National Design Awards (nomination for “Architecture Design Award”)
Gryphon Award
Municipal Art Society (nomination for “Brendan Gill Award”)
NY Book Show
NY Bookbinders Guild
NY Public Library
Pewter Award
Society of Illustrators