Khaled Akil

Syrian artist based in Istanbul (born 1986)

Khaled Akil

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

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]

## Biography

[edit]

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

[edit]

* 2018 Brown University, Rhode Island, U.S.[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

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* 2019 Kashash, Bozar Art Museum, Brussels, Belgium[18]
* 2018 Anti Trump Show, Creative Debuts, London, U.K.[19]
Uprooted, World Bank, Washington D.C, U.S.[20]
Contemporary Photography from the Arab World, American University Museum in Washington, Katzen Arts Center, D.C., USA.[21]
* 2016 Flight, West Branch Gallery, Stowe, Vermont, U.S.[22]
Anna&Mark art fair San Jose, California.[23]
Catharsis, Gaya Art Gallery, Sidi Bou Said.[24]
* 2015 International Discoveries V, FotoFest, Houston, Texas, United States.[25]
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.[26]
* 2009 From Aleppo with Love, Le Pont Gallery, Aleppo, Syria

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Akil, Khaled (18 December 2015). "Lives". The New York Times Magazine.
2. ^ "Khaled AKil-Biography". Fotofest.org. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
3. ^ a b "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.[dead link]
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. 21 September 2018.
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. Archived from the original on 21 July 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
16. ^ "20 top exhibitions in 2012". islamicartsmagazine.com.
17. ^ "Photography exhibition 'Khaled Akil: The Unmentioned' at London's Lahd Gallery". islamicartsmagazine.com.
18. ^ "Moussem Cities Damascus 01-28.02.2019 Brussels + Beirut 14-15.01".
19. ^ "Anti Trump show creative debut". Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
20. ^ "Uprooted, World Bank".
21. ^ "Tribe: Contemporary Photography from the Arab World".
22. ^ "'Flight' takes off". stowetoday.com.
23. ^ "Anne & Mark's Art Party". artpartysj.com.
24. ^ "CATHARSIS // Group show". Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
25. ^ "2015 Exhibitions". fotofest.org. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
26. ^ "Art in Exile Festival: "Voices from the Middle East"". goethe.de.

## External links

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* 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