Cléa Rekhou (b. 1988, Paris) is a French-Algerian visual storyteller based in Algiers, Algeria. 

She grew up in a housing estate on the Paris outskirts and faced social challenges that today nourish her work, her motive and the genesis of most of her projects. After graduating from college with a master degree in Corporate Finance, she moved to Bangkok, Thailand where she worked as a tech. Product Manager from 2014 to 2019. 

She was introduced and started to self-learn photography in 2016, she has since been continuously reassessing and re-defining her practice. Her projects broaches topics related to overlooked social issues, history as well as identity questions that she explores through understanding her own Algerian heritage.

Cléa aims to create visual work that are statements and an expression of her subjective interpretation of the world. Using diverse creative means along with photography, she works in giving highlights to people, their paths and their stories. 

Her work was shown at the Dali International Photography Exhibition (2019 - Dali, China), the Fotolimo Festival (2021 - Portbou, Spain), the Mostra Viva Mediterrani (2021 - Valencia, Spain), the Besançon Photo Festival (2021 - Besançon, France) and the Amman Photo Festival (2022 - Amman, Jordan). She was also part of the Night of the Year for a group screening with the Collective 220 at Les Rencontres d’Arles (2022 - Arles, France).

Cléa was a finalist of the Emerging Talent Award (2019 - Paris, France) for her project Monsieur, a first chapter of her work about domestic violence in France. She was also a finalist of the Encontros da Imagem (2022 - Braga, Portugal) for On The Edge, a second chapter on that topic that immersively depicts the journey of a family after the return home of the sentenced husband/father.

Cléa was a finalist of the Emerging Talent Award (2019 - Paris, France) for her project Monsieur, a first chapter of her work about domestic violence in France. She was also a finalist of the Encontros da Imagem (2022 - Braga, Portugal) for On The Edge, a second chapter on that topic that immersively depicts the journey of a family after the return home of the sentenced husband/father. 

She is a member of the Collective 220, Women Photograph and a contributor to L’Obs, Like la revue and Everydayafrica. Since 2024, she has become a National Geographic Explorer. Cléa is today working on questioning the construction of Algerian identities and the relation to our territory while also exploring various artistic processes. 

Education/training

[2021 - 2022] Women Photograph Program Mentorship | Remote

[2018-2019]. VII Agency Masterclass | Warsaw, Poland

Selected Exhibitions (group & solo)

[2024] A Poem in two voices (group exhibition with Collective 220 & KOZ), La Chambre Claire | Algiers, Algeria & Casablanca, Morocco

[2024] Hirak Through My Eyes & From The Ridge, Let’s Art | Brussels & Namur, Belgium

[2023] On The Edge, Vantage Point Sharjah | Sharjah, UAE

[2023] On The Edge, Encontros da Imagem | Braga, Portugal

[2023] From the Ridge, Saard III at Cairo Photo Week | Cairo, Egypt

[2022] Maguie, Amman Image Festival | Amman, Jordan

[2022] Le chemin des fous (group project with RIFT association), Coco Velten | Marseille, France

[2021] Monsieur, Besançon Photo Festival | Besançon, France

[2021] Maguie (group exhibition with Collective 220), Mostra Viva Mediterrani | Valencia, Spain

[2021] Maguie (group exhibition with Collective 220), Fotolimo Festival | Portbou, Spain

[2021] Monsieur, Dali International Photography Exhibition | Dali, China

[2018] Past Lines, “Arles, an immersive moment” | Arles, France

Screenings

[2022] Postcards From a Setting That You Don’t Know (group screening with Collective 220), Night of the year at Les rencontres d'Arles | Arles, France

Publications

[2021] Like la revue #8: War Photoreporters

[2021] L'Obs Special Issue #110: Colonial Algeria

Talks and Lecture

[2024] Let’s Art | Brussels & Namur, Belgium

[2023] Vantage Point Sharjah | Sharjah, UAE

[2023] Cairo Photo Week | Cairo, Egypt

[2021] Amman Image Festival | Amman, Jordan

[2021] Besançon Photo Festival | Besançon, France

[2021] Fotolimo Festival | Portbou, Spain

Grants 

[2024] National Geographic Society Grant Level I (on-going project)

[2022] Pro-Helvetia Cairo Grant

Awards

[2023] Roger Pic Award (finalist), Roger Pic Award 2023 with Scam | Paris, France

[2022] Emergentes Award (finalist), International Photography Award Encontros da Imagem | Braga, Portugal

[2021] Best Photography Award (finalist), Besançon Photo Festival | Besançon, France

[2019] Best Photography Award (winner), Dali International Photography Exhibition | Dali, China

[2019]. Bourse du Talent Award section reportage (finalist), Bourse du Talent | Paris, France

[2018] Attendees Award, “Arles, an immersive moment” | Arles, France

Professional Contributions

[2023]    Leading Visual Storytelling workshops with RIFT association for LGBTQ+ migrants | Marseille, France

[2021 - now]  Photographer and volunteer with RIFT association for LGBTQ+ migrants | Marseille, France

[2021 - now]  Member Collective 220 | Algiers, Algeria

[2019] Contributor to the “Ethical charter for media coverage of migration”, International Organization for Migration | Tunis, Tunisia