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6d ago

Koyo Kouoh, Curator of Venice Biennale, Dies at 57

The Cameroonian curator, known for her transformative Pan-African vision, passed away from cancer just days before the Biennale theme announcement.

Koyo Kouoh art curator obituary
Koyo Kouoh at Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town in 2023.
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Overview

  • Koyo Kouoh, the first African woman appointed to lead the Venice Biennale, died on May 10, 2025, at the age of 57 due to cancer in Basel, Switzerland.
  • Her passing has led Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town, where she served as executive director and chief curator since 2019, to close and suspend programming indefinitely.
  • Kouoh was set to unveil the theme for the 2026 Venice Biennale on May 20, with management confirming plans to proceed with the scheduled press conference.
  • She was celebrated for her Pan-African curatorial approach, founding Raw Material Company in Dakar and revitalizing Zeitz MOCAA with a focus on African art and narratives.
  • Her work extended to major international exhibitions, including Documenta, EVA International, and the Carnegie International, leaving a lasting legacy in the global art world.