Saba

Material:

Belgian black marble

Measurements:

53 x 16 x 12 cm

Year:

2025

In this sculpture, the name Saba acts as a bridge between nature and culture, between root and gaze.
In Catalan, saba is the vital fluid that runs through trees, carrying nutrients and energy, sustaining the life, strength, and resilience of every branch and leaf.
At the same time, Saba evokes the legendary Queen of Sheba, a powerful and enigmatic figure who, according to tradition, reigned with wisdom, wealth, and autonomy. Inspired by a contemporary Afro-feminist reading, the Queen of Sheba symbolizes redemptive matriarchy: a feminine leadership rooted in justice, equity, and compassion, capable of transforming, embracing, and restoring balance (Juma, 2025).
With Saba, two seemingly distant but deeply connected notions converge: the sap that nourishes the tree and the Queen who nourishes her people. Both are metaphors for an essential, black, vibrant, and universal energy.

Juma, D.C., 2025, ‘The Queen of Shebaand daughters of Africa: Reimaginingredemptive matriarchy in 2 Chronicles’, HTS Teologiese Studies/TheologicalStudies 81(1), a10427.
https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v81i1.10427