Khaled Akil

Khaled Akil
Education	Beirut Arab University
Occupation	Mixed media artist
Website	khaledakil.com

Khaled Akil (born 1986 in Aleppo) is a Syrian artist based in Istanbul. A self-taught artist, he works across a variety of media. He is best known for his photography series Pokémon Go in Syria.

Biography

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

Akil held his first exhibition in 2009, whilst completing his bachelor's degree in Law. His experience in law, politics and human rights played a major role in his artistic development and outlook.

In 2012, he held a solo exhibition, "The Legend of Death", in Istanbul, where he now resides, having been displaced by the escalating war in Syria.

Solo exhibitions

• 2018 – Requiem for Syria, Brown University, Rhode Island, U.S.
• 2017 – Stanford University, California, U.S.
• 2013 – The Legend of Death, Chalabi Art Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
• 2012 – The Unmentioned, Lahd Gallery, London, UK
• 2011 – Karma Art Gallery, Aleppo, Syria
• 2010 – Mustafa Ali Art Foundation, Damascus, Syria
• 2009 – Sarmad Art Gallery, Aleppo, Syria

Group exhibitions

• 2019 – Kashash, Bozar Art Museum, Brussels, Belgium
• 2018 – Anti Trump Show, Creative Debuts, London, UK
  Uprooted, World Bank, Washington, D.C., U.S.
  Tribe: Contemporary Photography from the Arab World, American University Museum, Katzen Arts Center, Washington, D.C., U.S.
• 2016 – Flight, West Branch Gallery, Stowe, Vermont, U.S.
  Anna & Mark Art Fair, San Jose, California
  Catharsis, Gaya Art Gallery, Sidi Bou Said
• 2015 – International Discoveries V, FotoFest, Houston, Texas, U.S.
  Woman Through The Eyes, Tajallyat Art Gallery, Beirut
  In-Quest, Gaya Art Gallery, Sidi Bou Said
  Voices from the Middle East, Art in Exile Festival, Washington, D.C.
• 2009 – From Aleppo with Love, Le Pont Gallery, Aleppo, Syria

References

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 Archived 30 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine
• 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. Archived 23 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine