Khaled Akil

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, Rhode Island, U.S.
 * 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

 * 2019 Kashash, Bozar Art Museum, Brussels, Belgium
 * 2018 Anti Trump Show, Creative Debuts, London, U.K. Uprooted, World Bank, Washington D.C, U.S. Contemporary Photography from the Arab World, American University Museum in Washington, Katzen Arts Center, D.C., USA.
 * 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, United States. 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