Humorist, communicator, and writer Maria Rovira, artistically known as Oye Sherman, reflected on the city of Barcelona from the program ‘Mirador Barcelona’. Rovira, who has built her career between the stage and microphones, uses humor as her primary tool of expression, with a style marked by irony and a critical view of daily life. Her career includes participations in radio and television projects on Catalunya Ràdio and TV3, as well as in comedy circuits and podcasts, establishing herself as a recognizable voice in contemporary Catalan humor. She recently published her first book, Garlanda (Blackie Books).
Born and raised in Horta, Rovira highlights the neighborhood's special identity, which she considers a model for the city. "I think in Horta, it really is," she states regarding the idea that neighborhoods are like towns. Its main value, according to the author, is the associative fabric, which allows for a "very beautiful" intergenerational relationship. "I believe the model that Barcelona should aspire to is precisely this," she argues.
However, she warns of the risk of losing this identity, arguing that the "capitalist gentrifying drift" could turn the city into "a large shopping center." "What can save us is precisely this, life in the neighborhoods," she concludes.
Rovira also described her seven-year experience living in El Born as "traumatic" due to the neighborhood's transformation. She recalled how traditional shops were replaced by souvenir stores or franchises, and how tourist apartments complicate daily life for residents, as visitors "don't know how to recycle." She views the future limitation of tourist apartments positively, as it "will provide more supply and more breathing room."
When asked what she values most about the Catalan capital, Rovira summarizes: "What I like most about Barcelona is that it is a city and not a shopping center." Despite having considered living elsewhere, she assures she would return because it is "a very lively city where many things can be done."
She also recalled Barcelona during lockdown, describing a walk down La Rambla as an impactful experience: "It looked like a green cathedral, I could hear the birds, and there was a kind of silence." An image she regrets has returned to "normal" after that "mirage."
Finally, Rovira shared her synesthesia, associating Barcelona with the texture of a school napkin used to clean yogurt. A metaphor describing a city that, in her opinion, still retains its uniqueness through its neighborhoods, residents, and shared life.
