Soleil Oblique (1971) by Mohamed Melehi is an important companion piece to his painting Casa (1970), which is part of the permanent collection at Tate Modern. The two paintings share a direct lineage, having been exhibited alongside each other in 1971 during Melehi’s solo exhibition at Galerie l’Atelier in Rabat. Together, they represent a critical phase in the artist's career where he consolidated his core graphic vocabulary.The composition centers entirely on Melehi’s signature wave motif, a hard-edged form inspired by the coastal rhythms of his hometown, Asilah. In Soleil Oblique, this shape is deployed with strict geometric precision. The left side of the panel features a series of interlocking green and purple waves that ascend diagonally across the frame. This upward, kinetic movement is brought to an abrupt halt by a massive, multi-layered semi-circular form anchoring the top right corner. The solar form is constructed from clean, concentric bands of dark blue, red, orange, and bright yellow. Set against a flat, deep burgundy background, the sharp division between the undulating lines and the rigid curvature of the circle creates a powerful formal tension.Beyond its strict geometry, the work is defined by its specific material choices. Rejecting standard oil paint and canvas, Melehi executed Soleil Oblique using industrial cellulose lacquer on a solid wooden panel. This commercial automotive paint—commonly used in local workshops—dries to a uniform, semi-gloss finish completely free of visible brushwork. By introducing an industrial medium into a gallery space, Melehi deliberately blurred the boundary between fine art and manual craft, emphasizing flat, graphic immediacy over academic painting traditions. Alongside Casa, Soleil Oblique stands as a definitive exploration of how hard-edge abstraction and repetitive, organic forms can interact within a highly controlled spatial layout.