The first African woman to curate the Venice art biennale has died. Here we publish a piece she wrote for the Guardian after taking up the role, in which she talks about championing African and women artists and her vision for the 2026 biennale
The pioneering art curator Koyo Kouoh has died at the age of 57. Kouoh, the first African woman to be named artistic director of the Venice Biennale, died on 10 May – just days before the title and theme of the 61st edition of the art biennale were due to be revealed. A statement on the organisation’s website said her death leaves “an immense void in the world of contemporary art” and that she had worked “with passion, intellectual rigour and vision on the conception and development of the Biennale Arte 2026”.
Born in Cameroon, Kouoh gained global attention for her role in championing African artists, most recently as the executive director and chief curator of Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art in Cape Town (Zeitz MOCAA).
