Khaled Akil

Khaled Akil born 1986 in Aleppo is a Syrian artist based in Istanbul.[1][2] Akil is a self-taught artist who works with different art mediums. He is best known for his photography series Pokémon Go in Syria[3]

Khaled Akil
Education	Bachelor Degree from Faculty of Law and Political sciences,
Alma mater	Beirut Arab University
Occupation	Mixed Media Artist
Website	khaledakil.com

Biography

Khaled Akil was born in Aleppo, Syria,[4] to a family with a long history of artistic and political influence. His father is the renowned painter Youssef Akil.[5] His great maternal grandfather is the Syrian author and historical figure Abd al-Rahman al-Kawakibi.

ِAkil's first exhibition was held in 2009, when at the time he was completing his bachelor's degree in Law.[1] His experience in law, politics and human rights played a major role in his artistic development and projections.[6]

In 2012, he held a solo exhibition “The Legend of Death”[7] in Istanbul, where he resides today[3] due to the escalation of the war in Syria.[8]

Solo exhibitions

• 2018 Brown University,[9]
• 2017 Stanford University, California U.S[10][11][12]
• 2013 Chalabi Art Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey[13][14]
• 2012 Lahd Gallery, London, UK[15][16][17]
• 2011 Karma Art Gallery, Aleppo, Syria
• 2010 Mustafa Ali Art Foundation. Damascus, Syria
• 2009 Sarmad Art Gallery, Aleppo, Syria

Group exhibitions

• 2018 Exhibited in Anti Trump Show, Creative Debuts, London, U.K.[18] Exhibited inUprooted, World Bank, Washington D.C, U.S.[19] Exhibited in Contemporary Photography from the Arab World, American University Museum in Washington, Katzen Arts Center, D.C., USA.[20] Exhibited in Kashash Centre for Fine Arts, Bozar museum Brussels.[21]
• 2016 Exhibited in Flight, West Branch Gallery, Stowe, Vermont, U.S.[22] Exhibited in Anna&Mark art fair San Jose, California.[23] Exhibited in Catharsis, Gaya Art Gallery, Sidi Bou Said.[24]
• 2015 Exhibited in International Discoveries V, FotoFest, Houston, Texas, United States.[25] Exhibited in Woman Through The Eyes- Tajallyat Art Gallery, Beirut. Exhibited in In-Quest, Gaya Art Gallery, Sidi Bou Said. Exhibited in Voices from the Middle East, Art in Exile Festival, Washington, D.C.[26]
• 2009 Exhibited in From Aleppo with Love, Le Pont Gallery, Aleppo, Syria

References

1. "Lives". The New York Times Magazine.
2. "Khaled AKil-Biography". Fotofest.org.
3. "You Need to Be Looking at 'Pokémon Go in Syria'". The Creator Project.Vice.
4. "Artist Khaled Akil imagines Pokémon Go in ravaged Syria". Al Jazeera.
5. "Biography". janetradyfineart.com.
6. "PHOTOGRAPHY. BEHIND SYRIA'S WAR". freearabs.com.
7. "FAREWELL IS NOT GOOD-BYE". mantlethought.org.
8. "Your Middle East's managing editor caught up with celebrated Syrian artist Khaled Akil who currently resides in Istanbul". yourmiddleeast.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2015.
9. "Art at Watson Presents "Requiem for Syria," an exhibition by Khaled Akil".
10. "Syrian Khaled Akil, whose work is being exhibited in California, joins artists protesting discriminatory travel ban". Al Jazeera.
11. "Syrian Artist Khaled Akil: 'Art Flies With No Visa'". kqed.org.
12. "Syrian Artist's Photographs Offer a Prayer for Peace". Stanford Global Studies.
13. "Chalabi Art Gallery hosts Syrian artist Khaled Akil". culturedworld.com.
14. ""Legend of Death" - Khaled Akil". lebriz.com.
15. "Syrian artist's Hampstead exhibition explores nation in conflict". James Podesta. ham and high newspaper. 27 February 2012.
16. "20 top exhibitions in 2012". islamicartsmagazine.com.
17. "Photography exhibition 'Khaled Akil: The Unmentioned' at London's Lahd Gallery". islamicartsmagazine.com.
18. "Anti Trump show creative debut".
19. "Uprooted, World Bank".
20. "Tribe: Contemporary Photography from the Arab World".
21. "Bozar".
22. "'Flight' takes off". stowetoday.com.
23. "Anne & Mark's Art Party". artpartysj.com.
24. "CATHARSIS // Group show".
25. "2015 Exhibitions". fotofest.org.
26. "Art in Exile Festival: "Voices from the Middle East"". goethe.de.

External links

• Syrian Artist’s Photographs Offer a Prayer for Peace
• Syrian Artist Khaled Akil: ‘Art Flies With No Visa’
• Artist Khaled Akil vows not to seek US visa under Trump
• You Need to Be Looking at 'Pokémon Go in Syria - The Creators Project, VICE
• Artist Khaled Akil imagines Pokémon Go in ravaged Syria | AL Jazeera EN
• "The Identity Thief"- Article by Khaled Akil | The New York Times Magazine
• Requiem for Syria: artist Khaled Akil on why his latest work is about peace, not war
• The Syrian Art World After 2011– presented by miriam cooke
• Khaled Akil joins art team for “Aleppo, Syria: Witness to an Ancient Legacy”
• The five hottest artists from the Middle East today
• Khaled Akil: storyteller. Revealer of truths. Armed to the teeth.