Introduction
Khaled Akil born 1986 in Aleppo is a Syrian artist based in Istanbul. 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, to 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'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.
In 2012, he held a solo exhibition “The Legend of Death” in Istanbul, where he resides today due to the escalation of the war in Syria.
Solo exhibitions
- 2018 Brown University,
- 2017 Stanford University, California U.S
- 2013 Chalabi Art Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
- 2012 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
- 2018 Exhibited in Anti Trump Show, Creative Debuts, London, U.K. Exhibited inUprooted,World Bank, Washington D.C, U.S. Exhibited in Contemporary Photography from the Arab World, American University Museum in Washington, Katzen Arts Center, D.C., USA. Exhibited in Kashash Centre for Fine Arts, Bozar museum Brussels.
- 2016 Exhibited in Flight, West Branch Gallery, Stowe, Vermont, U.S. Exhibited in Anna&Mark art fair San Jose, California. Exhibited in Catharsis, Gaya Art Gallery, Sidi Bou Said.
- 2015 Exhibited in International Discoveries V, FotoFest, Houston, Texas, United States. 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.
- 2009 Exhibited in From Aleppo with Love, Le Pont Gallery, Aleppo, Syria