Biography
Born (1989) and currently based in Cairo, Egypt, Rehab Eldalil is an award winning documentary photographer, visual storyteller and educator. Her work focuses on the broad theme of identity explored through participatory creative practices.
She received her photography BA from Helwan University in Cairo in 2011 shortly after participating in the Jan25 Egyptian revolution for which she co-authored a photobook The Road To Tahrir documenting the revolution’s early weeks. In addition to developing personal long term projects, she works with NGOs and publications such as HuffPost, National Geographic, Liberation, UNICEF and Drosos Foundation, documenting human interest stories in North Africa and Middle East regions. In 2013, Rehab began her research on collaborative lens based approaches and representation in visual storytelling.
Rehab has received her photography MA with distinction award from Falmouth University, UK 2020. And she received a one year certificate in documentary photography from the International Center of Photography, New York, USA 2021.
Her long-term project The Longing Of The Stranger Whose Path Has Been Broken was shortlisted for PHmuseum Women Grant 2021, 6 Mois Photojournalism award 2021, Philip Jones awards 2021, Marilyn Stafford award 2021 and Catchlight fellowship 2020. She was awarded AFAC & Magnum Foundation’s Arab Documentary Photography Program grant 2020, National Geographic Society’s Emergency grant for Journalists 2020 and Creative Activism award 2021. Rehab was awarded the FotoEvidence W Award 2022 to publish her project in a book format, she won the World Press Photo Regional Award 2022 (Open Format/Africa) and received the Premi Mediterrani Albert Camus award 2022. Most recently, she received the Women Photograph and Getty Images Inclusion grant to work on her new project Nesting Birds.
Rehab's work has been exhibited in many exhibitions around the world including Egypt, USA, UK, Germany, Brazil, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Canada and Greece. Her book is available for sale worldwide.
Artist Statement
My work focuses on the broad theme of identity explored through participatory creative practices. I explore how to challenge traditional documentary frameworks by developing methods to involve subjects to become participants in the creative process. I experiment with how to embrace the fluidity of collaborative mediums against the limitations of photography in developing layered and comprehensive visual narratives that challenge the exoticism of communities, including my own as an African and Arabic woman.
Having lived in the US during 9/11 and experienced rising xenophobia then returning back to Egypt where years later I participated in the Jan25 Egyptian revolution, identity plays a major role in my practice. I use my personal experiences as creative inspiration. My work is both personal and universal. I consider my work as alternative historical documents woven by the community’s voice. I welcome the complexity of an identity instead of flattening it to labels that may result in othering. I believe that photography and visual storytelling has the power to connect as much as divide communities. With rising issues on borders, stigma and general loss of identity around the world, I aim to use my work to advocate for social justice and understanding.
Awards & Nominations
Women Photograph & Getty Images grant 2022, grantee
Premi Mediterrani Albert Camus 2022, winner
World Press Photo Regional Award 2022, winner
Fotoevidence W Award, 2022, winner
Phmuseum Women Grant, 2021, finalist
6Mois Photojournalism Award, 2021, finalist
The British Journal Of Photography's Ones To Watch, 2021
Everyday Projects Grant, 2021, finalist
Marilyn Stafford Award, 2021, honourable mention
World Press Photo Awards, Contemporary Issues category, 2021, shortlisted
Philip Jones Griffiths Award, 2021, honourable mention
Creative Activism Award, 2021, grantee
National Geographic Society Emergency Grant for Journalists, 2020, grantee
Arab Documentary Photography Program, 2020, grantee
Photo Fringe Solo20, 2020, shortlisted
Marilyn Stafford Award, 2020, shortlisted
The Royal Photographic Society Best Graduates Feature, 2020
Catchlight Fellowship, 2020, honourable mention
Art Jameel Grant for Artists, 2020, grantee
Joop Swart Masterclass, 2020, nominee
Membership
Women Photograph
Diversify Photo
RUWA
World Press’ African Photojournalism Database
Education
Documentary Practice & Visual Journalism, The International Center of Photography, (online), 2020-2021
Photography MA, distinction award, Falmouth University, UK (online), 2018-2020
Photography BA, Helwan University, Egypt, 2006-2011
Workshops
Canon Student Development Programme, trained by Lars Lindemann and Aida Muluneh, 2020
Noor-Nikon Masterclass, trained by Tanya Habjouqa, Jon Lowenstein and Sebastein Liste, Spain, 2019
International Summer School Of Photography, trained by Tanya Habjouqa, Latvia, 2019
Selected Exhibitions
San Jose Photo Festival, San Jose, 2023
Thinking Historically in the Present, Sharjah Biennial, Sharjah, 2023
Theatre of Dreams, Breda Photo Festival, Breda, 2022
An Expression of Absence, Magnum Foundation, New York, 2022
Art and Embroidery, Bunder Kunstmuesum, Chur, 2022
World Press Photo winners world tour exhibition, 2022
Foto Wien, Vienna, 2022
The Everyday Projects, Oldenburg, 2022
Edited, Berlin, 2022
Photo Vogue Festival, Milan, 2021
Hamburg Portfolio Reviews exhibition, Hamburg, 2021
This Was The Year That Was, New York, 2021
Oceano Alterado, The Journal collective, Sao Paulo, 2021
Looks Like Us, The Journal collective exhibition, Toronto, 2021
New Stories New Horizons, The Everyday Projects collective, Cairo Photo Week, Cairo, 2021
ICP concerned, New York, 2020
Photo Fringe festival, United Kingdom, 2020
Athens Photo Festival, Athens, 2020
Landings, Falmouth University graduates, online, 2020
Youth of Egypt, Carte Blanche, Egypt, 2019
Territory, by Native, Kunsthaus Flora, Berlin, 2019
Roznama, Cairo, 2015
Talks Conducted
ICP documentary students, 2023
Falmouth University BA students, 2023
Global Photographies, 2023
World Press Photo Hamburg exhibition opening, 2022
British University in Cairo, 2022
Canon Student Program, 2022
Photopia Cairo, 2022
National Museum Of Women's Art, International Women's Day event, 2022
The International Center of Photography Alumni talk, 2022
Quietly Loud guest lecture, 2021
Falmouth University guest lecture, 2021
Women Photograph Workshop events, 2021
The Royal Photographic Society, 2020
Teaching
The American University in Cairo, 2013-2015 and 2022-present
Freelance, 2009-present
Books
The Longing Of The Stranger Whose Path Has Been Broken, 2022, co-published by Foto Evidence and Trobades & Premis Mediterranis Albert Camus
Roots Guide: Stories from the Netherlands, 2021, self published with the support of the National Geographic Society
Sinai Flora Field Guide, 2021, self published with the support of National Geographic Society and Creative Activism Award
The Road To Tahrir, 2011, American University in Cairo Press
Languages
Arabic (mother tongue)
English (fluent)
Spanish (basic)
Born (1989) and currently based in Cairo, Egypt, Rehab Eldalil is an award winning documentary photographer, visual storyteller and educator. Her work focuses on the broad theme of identity explored through participatory creative practices.
She received her photography BA from Helwan University in Cairo in 2011 shortly after participating in the Jan25 Egyptian revolution for which she co-authored a photobook The Road To Tahrir documenting the revolution’s early weeks. In addition to developing personal long term projects, she works with NGOs and publications such as HuffPost, National Geographic, Liberation, UNICEF and Drosos Foundation, documenting human interest stories in North Africa and Middle East regions. In 2013, Rehab began her research on collaborative lens based approaches and representation in visual storytelling.
Rehab has received her photography MA with distinction award from Falmouth University, UK 2020. And she received a one year certificate in documentary photography from the International Center of Photography, New York, USA 2021.
Her long-term project The Longing Of The Stranger Whose Path Has Been Broken was shortlisted for PHmuseum Women Grant 2021, 6 Mois Photojournalism award 2021, Philip Jones awards 2021, Marilyn Stafford award 2021 and Catchlight fellowship 2020. She was awarded AFAC & Magnum Foundation’s Arab Documentary Photography Program grant 2020, National Geographic Society’s Emergency grant for Journalists 2020 and Creative Activism award 2021. Rehab was awarded the FotoEvidence W Award 2022 to publish her project in a book format, she won the World Press Photo Regional Award 2022 (Open Format/Africa) and received the Premi Mediterrani Albert Camus award 2022. Most recently, she received the Women Photograph and Getty Images Inclusion grant to work on her new project Nesting Birds.
Rehab's work has been exhibited in many exhibitions around the world including Egypt, USA, UK, Germany, Brazil, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Canada and Greece. Her book is available for sale worldwide.
Artist Statement
My work focuses on the broad theme of identity explored through participatory creative practices. I explore how to challenge traditional documentary frameworks by developing methods to involve subjects to become participants in the creative process. I experiment with how to embrace the fluidity of collaborative mediums against the limitations of photography in developing layered and comprehensive visual narratives that challenge the exoticism of communities, including my own as an African and Arabic woman.
Having lived in the US during 9/11 and experienced rising xenophobia then returning back to Egypt where years later I participated in the Jan25 Egyptian revolution, identity plays a major role in my practice. I use my personal experiences as creative inspiration. My work is both personal and universal. I consider my work as alternative historical documents woven by the community’s voice. I welcome the complexity of an identity instead of flattening it to labels that may result in othering. I believe that photography and visual storytelling has the power to connect as much as divide communities. With rising issues on borders, stigma and general loss of identity around the world, I aim to use my work to advocate for social justice and understanding.
Awards & Nominations
Women Photograph & Getty Images grant 2022, grantee
Premi Mediterrani Albert Camus 2022, winner
World Press Photo Regional Award 2022, winner
Fotoevidence W Award, 2022, winner
Phmuseum Women Grant, 2021, finalist
6Mois Photojournalism Award, 2021, finalist
The British Journal Of Photography's Ones To Watch, 2021
Everyday Projects Grant, 2021, finalist
Marilyn Stafford Award, 2021, honourable mention
World Press Photo Awards, Contemporary Issues category, 2021, shortlisted
Philip Jones Griffiths Award, 2021, honourable mention
Creative Activism Award, 2021, grantee
National Geographic Society Emergency Grant for Journalists, 2020, grantee
Arab Documentary Photography Program, 2020, grantee
Photo Fringe Solo20, 2020, shortlisted
Marilyn Stafford Award, 2020, shortlisted
The Royal Photographic Society Best Graduates Feature, 2020
Catchlight Fellowship, 2020, honourable mention
Art Jameel Grant for Artists, 2020, grantee
Joop Swart Masterclass, 2020, nominee
Membership
Women Photograph
Diversify Photo
RUWA
World Press’ African Photojournalism Database
Education
Documentary Practice & Visual Journalism, The International Center of Photography, (online), 2020-2021
Photography MA, distinction award, Falmouth University, UK (online), 2018-2020
Photography BA, Helwan University, Egypt, 2006-2011
Workshops
Canon Student Development Programme, trained by Lars Lindemann and Aida Muluneh, 2020
Noor-Nikon Masterclass, trained by Tanya Habjouqa, Jon Lowenstein and Sebastein Liste, Spain, 2019
International Summer School Of Photography, trained by Tanya Habjouqa, Latvia, 2019
Selected Exhibitions
San Jose Photo Festival, San Jose, 2023
Thinking Historically in the Present, Sharjah Biennial, Sharjah, 2023
Theatre of Dreams, Breda Photo Festival, Breda, 2022
An Expression of Absence, Magnum Foundation, New York, 2022
Art and Embroidery, Bunder Kunstmuesum, Chur, 2022
World Press Photo winners world tour exhibition, 2022
Foto Wien, Vienna, 2022
The Everyday Projects, Oldenburg, 2022
Edited, Berlin, 2022
Photo Vogue Festival, Milan, 2021
Hamburg Portfolio Reviews exhibition, Hamburg, 2021
This Was The Year That Was, New York, 2021
Oceano Alterado, The Journal collective, Sao Paulo, 2021
Looks Like Us, The Journal collective exhibition, Toronto, 2021
New Stories New Horizons, The Everyday Projects collective, Cairo Photo Week, Cairo, 2021
ICP concerned, New York, 2020
Photo Fringe festival, United Kingdom, 2020
Athens Photo Festival, Athens, 2020
Landings, Falmouth University graduates, online, 2020
Youth of Egypt, Carte Blanche, Egypt, 2019
Territory, by Native, Kunsthaus Flora, Berlin, 2019
Roznama, Cairo, 2015
Talks Conducted
ICP documentary students, 2023
Falmouth University BA students, 2023
Global Photographies, 2023
World Press Photo Hamburg exhibition opening, 2022
British University in Cairo, 2022
Canon Student Program, 2022
Photopia Cairo, 2022
National Museum Of Women's Art, International Women's Day event, 2022
The International Center of Photography Alumni talk, 2022
Quietly Loud guest lecture, 2021
Falmouth University guest lecture, 2021
Women Photograph Workshop events, 2021
The Royal Photographic Society, 2020
Teaching
The American University in Cairo, 2013-2015 and 2022-present
Freelance, 2009-present
Books
The Longing Of The Stranger Whose Path Has Been Broken, 2022, co-published by Foto Evidence and Trobades & Premis Mediterranis Albert Camus
Roots Guide: Stories from the Netherlands, 2021, self published with the support of the National Geographic Society
Sinai Flora Field Guide, 2021, self published with the support of National Geographic Society and Creative Activism Award
The Road To Tahrir, 2011, American University in Cairo Press
Languages
Arabic (mother tongue)
English (fluent)
Spanish (basic)