Ouka Leele

Spanish photographer (1957–2022)

Photographer
painter
poet

Bárbara Allende Gil de Biedma (29 June 1957 – 24 May 2022), also known as Ouka Leele, was a Spanish photographer.

Life and career

Bárbara Allende Gil de Biedma was born in Madrid on 29 June 1957 to a well-off family belonging to the Bilbao's bourgeoisie.^[1] Her uncle Jaime Gil de Biedma was a famous poet; and her cousin Esperanza Aguirre served as the President of the Community of Madrid from 2003 to 2012. She picked up the alias of Ouka Leele after the name of a fictional star created by El Hortelano.^[1]

She was one of the most important photographers during La Movida Madrileña^[2] and she also worked as an illustrator and wrote several poetry books.

She was a member of the Agence VU.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, she participated in 2020 in an anti-mask stunt organised by Rafael Palacios, and claimed that "the best mask is love".^[3]^[4]

She died on 24 May 2022.^[5]

Awards

Premio Nacional de Fotografía, Ministry of Culture, 2005^{[citation needed]}
Premio de Cultura de la Comunidad de Madrid, 2003 (photography)^{[citation needed]}
Premio Ícaro de Artes Plásticas, Diario 16, 1983.^{[citation needed]}

Collections (partial)

Centre of Vieille Charité, Marseille
Photography Andalusian Centre
Collection Arco, Madrid
Foundation Cartier, Paris
Foundation La Caixa, Barcelona
Cervantes Institute, Lisbon
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. Madrid
Tabaco Gitanes, Paris.

Publications

Poesía en carne viva (Ediciones Atlantis, 2006)
Ouka Leele. El nombre de una estrella (Ellago Ediciones, 2006)
Ouka Leele inédita (tf. editores, 2008).

References

^ ^a ^b "Muere la fotógrafa Ouka Leele". El Confidencial (in Spanish). 24 May 2022. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
^ Jones, Sam (25 May 2022). "Spanish photographer Ouka Leele, star of the Movida Madrileña, dies aged 64". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
^ Fanjul, Sergio F. (21 July 2020). "Negacionistas víricos". El País (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
^ Miró, Francesc (17 August 2020). "Miguel Bosé y la cultura negacionista: por qué hay artistas que confunden mascarillas con mordazas". elDiario.es (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
^ "Muere a los 64 años la fotógrafa Ouka Leele, referente de la Movida Madrileña". Cadena SER (in Spanish). 24 May 2022. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.