Ouka Leele

Bárbara Allende Gil de Biedma (Madrid, 1957), known by her stage name Ouka Lelee, is one of the key figures of the Madrid Movida movement of the early 1980s. Her work is particularly representative of the era's free spirit and the artistic trends that developed around it. Barbara experienced the open-minded atmosphere of the 1960s in both Barcelona and Madrid, reflecting the concerns of a youth who sought paths toward a future democracy in art. Her art is the fruit of change, of the latent need for expression following a period of repression. She has a long career notable for her technical mastery and constant creativity. Her most distinctive works are her colorized black-and-white photographs and prints, which have been exhibited worldwide in cities such as Paris, London, Tokyo, Lisbon, São Paulo, and New York. Self-taught, she has created a unique personal universe recognizable by the general public, often featuring herself as the protagonist. This is the case of the work presented, where through its striking colors and undeniable imagery, it does not hesitate to disguise itself as Dolorosa to recreate a metaphorical fiction, while making us complicit in everyday realities charged with symbolism.