Algeria

b. 1995

Soufian Chemcham is a hip-hop artist, a visual storyteller and a documentary photographer. Based in the Algerian coastal city of Jijel, he draws his inspiration from the street life of his hometown. Chemcham started taking photos when he and his friends decided to buy a camera to document their break-dancing and hip-hop performances. The self-taught photographer quickly turned to documentary projects which aim to capture the relationship between time, place, and the individual. He is a member of Collective 220, a platform of Algerian photographers who want to bring their outlook to what Algeria is today. Chemcham has been working for the past four years on “Kifesh,” a visual diary of Jijel. In a series of mostly black-and-white photos, Chemcham addresses the conflict between the material world, the world of ideas, and the complex web of interactions. He has participated in festivals, fairs and exhibitions in France, Spain and Algeria.