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

Ouka Leele
Ouka Leele, 2011
Born	Bárbara Allende Gil de Biedma (1957-06-29)29 June 1957 Madrid, Spain
Died	24 May 2022(2022-05-24) (aged 64) Madrid, Spain
Occupation	Photographer painter poet

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 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".[2][3]

She died on 24 May 2022.[4]

Awards

• Premio Nacional de Fotografía, Ministry of Culture, 2005
• Premio de Cultura de la Comunidad de Madrid, 2003 (photography)
• Premio Ícaro de Artes Plásticas, Diario 16, 1983.

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.

See also

• Movida Madrileña
• El Hortelano

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

Sources

• Álvarez, J. D. Esa luz cuando justo da el sol. Biografía de Ouka Leele (Neverland Ediciones, 2006).

External links

• (in Spanish) Biography.

На других языках

[es] Ouka Leele

[fr] Ouka Leele