Paul Branca

Versed in the history of painting, Paul Branca draws from many approaches to the medium—including abstraction, photorealism, and conceptualism—for his own work. The sights, social structures, and relationships that define the places where he lives and visits make their way into his compositions, which have featured images of food, poker-faced cats, and renderings of the illustrations on the international calling cards that are ubiquitous in his New York City neighborhood. In addition to canvas, Branca has painted on umbrellas and other unlikely supports. By bringing the stuff of daily life into his paintings, Branca aims to address his interest in the relationship between art, its viewers, and the outside world. “I like working alone in the studio making things . . . all the while considering how my works may appear outside of the studio, to a certain public and context,” he says.