Ouka Leele’s source of inspiration for this series was the Song of Songs, a poem in praise of the conjugal love in which Solomon and Shulamite, forced apart, fight desperately to become one again in the hope that love will eventually triumph.

One of the verses in the poem—“He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love” (Song of Songs, 2:4)—brings us to this delicate piece which shows the love for each other of two lovers outlined in black silhouettes. Solomon is turned into a tree with roots in the ground, his arms extended and leaves on his back. Standing above Shulamite, he is protecting his lover as she serenely rests under his shade.

Ouka Leele’s religious upbringing, visible in most of her works, would explain this reference to a biblical theme, to the magical and mysterious world she feels so fascinated by. One can also acknowledge the artist’s love for the forest, so important since her childhood, spent between Madrid and San Rafael (Segovia), a circumstance that left a profound and indelible mark on her soul and on her work.

Although the artist is particularly known for her photographs painted with watercolours, she sometimes leaves the camera behind altogether to immerse herself in what is normally a creative adjunct she superimposes on her photos: painting, colour wash, a technique she employs to create a misty and mystical atmosphere. The silhouettes flow in her paintings, much lighter given the freedom from the restrictions imposed by photography.

On this occasion, Ouka Leele did not use any colour at all, focusing exclusively on a profuse use of black Indian ink, obtaining a delicate appearance removed from the theatricality usually pervading her works.