Khaled Akil Explained

Khaled Akil
Education:	Bachelor Degree from Faculty of Law and Political sciences,
Alma Mater:	Beirut Arab University
Occupation:	Mixed Media Artist

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

Biography

Khaled Akil was born in Aleppo, Syria,^[3] to a family with a long history of artistic and political influence. His father is the renowned painter Youssef Akil.^[4] 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. His experience in law, politics and human rights played a major role in his artistic development and projections.^[5]

In 2012, he held a solo exhibition “The Legend of Death”^[6] in Istanbul, where he resides today^[7] due to the escalation of the war in Syria.^[8]

Solo exhibitions

• 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

• 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

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.

Notes and References

1. News: Lives. The New York Times Magazine. 18 December 2015 . Akil . Khaled .
2. Web site: Khaled AKil-Biography. Fotofest.org. 12 December 2015. 6 February 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160206093617/http://home.fotofest.org/exhibitions/2015/internationaldiscoveriesv/akil.aspx#.VmwS-Up97IU. dead.
3. News: Artist Khaled Akil imagines Pokémon Go in ravaged Syria. Al Jazeera.
4. Web site: Biography. janetradyfineart.com.
5. Web site: PHOTOGRAPHY. BEHIND SYRIA'S WAR. freearabs.com.
6. Web site: FAREWELL IS NOT GOOD-BYE. mantlethought.org.
7. Web site: You Need to Be Looking at 'Pokémon Go in Syria'. The Creator Project.Vice.
8. Web site: Your Middle East's managing editor caught up with celebrated Syrian artist Khaled Akil who currently resides in Istanbul. . yourmiddleeast.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151021030126/http://www.yourmiddleeast.com/features/qa-with-syrian-artist-khaled-akil_15437 . 2015-10-21 .
9. Web site: Art at Watson Presents "Requiem for Syria," an exhibition by Khaled Akil .
10. News: Syrian Khaled Akil, whose work is being exhibited in California, joins artists protesting discriminatory travel ban.. Al Jazeera.
11. Web site: Syrian Artist Khaled Akil: 'Art Flies With No Visa'. kqed.org.
12. Web site: Syrian Artist's Photographs Offer a Prayer for Peace. 21 September 2018 . Stanford Global Studies.
13. Web site: Chalabi Art Gallery hosts Syrian artist Khaled Akil. culturedworld.com.
14. Web site: "Legend of Death" - Khaled Akil. lebriz.com.
15. News: Syrian artist's Hampstead exhibition explores nation in conflict. ham and high newspaper. James Podesta. 27 February 2012.
16. Web site: 20 top exhibitions in 2012. islamicartsmagazine.com.
17. Web site: Photography exhibition 'Khaled Akil: The Unmentioned' at London's Lahd Gallery. islamicartsmagazine.com.
18. Web site: Moussem Cities Damascus 01-28.02.2019 Brussels + Beirut 14-15.01 .
19. Web site: Anti Trump show creative debut . 21 March 2019 . 21 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190321163856/https://creativedebuts.co.uk/artwork-tag/donald-trump/ . dead .
20. Web site: Uprooted, World Bank. .
21. Web site: Tribe: Contemporary Photography from the Arab World .
22. Web site: 'Flight' takes off. stowetoday.com.
23. Web site: Anne & Mark's Art Party. artpartysj.com.
24. Web site: CATHARSIS // Group show. 8 February 2017. 11 February 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170211103418/http://ghayagallery.com/gallery/group-show/. dead.
25. Web site: 2015 Exhibitions. fotofest.org. 12 December 2015. 22 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151222092808/http://home.fotofest.org/exhibitions/2015/international-discoveries-v.aspx#.Vmwup0p97IU. dead.
26. Web site: Art in Exile Festival: "Voices from the Middle East". goethe.de.