Branda, the Galician Artist Transforming Daily Life into Art in L'Hospitalet
Óscar Brandariz, known as Branda, draws inspiration from observing streets and bars to create unique and humorous works.
By Laura Cases Badia
••3 min read
IA
Modern costumbrist painting of stylized human figures on wood.
Galician artist Óscar Brandariz, known as Branda, has found inspiration in Barcelona and L'Hospitalet for his modern costumbrist art, transforming observations of daily life into unique pieces with a distinct personal and humorous character.
Branda, the artistic name of Óscar Brandariz, is a Galician creator distinguished by his focus on modern costumbrism. His work stems from a meticulous observation of his surroundings, capturing environments, situations, and people in detail to portray them on paper or wood, resulting in unique and easily recognizable pieces.
The artist explains that his working method evolved from a practical decision: a preference for focusing on characters rather than backgrounds. This choice led him to cut out figures and present them upright, a technique that has become his stylistic hallmark. His main source of inspiration comes from urban life, especially from streets and bars.
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"I spend my life in the street and in bars, and that's where I get my inspiration."
Branda's creations are characterized by a strong personal touch and a sense of humor. The artist reflects on the excessive seriousness in the art world, advocating for a simpler and more accessible approach.
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"When I started studying art, it seemed to me that there was too much seriousness and grandiloquence; truly, from the 80s until now, we see things that are overwhelming in their magnitude and depth. It has always seemed to me that it is a good path to bet on what is simple, easy, close, small."
Regarding his creative process, Branda highlights the variety of his works. For the art gallery La Fiambrera, he often works in thematic series, such as his doll figures or future projects on tapas and bars in Madrid, which will require different painting formats.
His arrival in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area marked a turning point. Branda arrived in Barcelona in 2011 and initially settled in the cultural space l'Astillero. Currently, he occupies a space at La Terca, within the nau Tonal’h, in L'Hospitalet, valuing the shared creative process with other artists.
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"When I arrived here in Barcelona and L'Hospitalet, I had the eyes of the province and I was fascinated by the people you see on the street, by the number of tourists, of migration… And all of this, in some way, appears in the pieces, although you also end up naturalizing it and there comes a time when you no longer see any of it. And then, perhaps, it is the moment when the gaze shifts."
