Koyo Kouoh, history-making curator of the 2026 Venice Biennale, has died, age 57

Just in December, Koyo Kouoh made history: it was announced that she would be the first African woman to act as curator of the Venice Biennale. But this Saturday, ten days after presenting her proposal for the world's largest contemporary art event, she died unexpectedly.Kooh, originally from Camerón, ran the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, since 2019. She was considered a key figure of African and internation…

The Cameroonian-Swiss exhibition designer would have become the first African curator of the Venice Art Biennale next year. Koyo Kouoh died surprisingly at the age of 57.

Koyo Kouoh, history-making curator of the 2026 Venice Biennale, has died, age 57

Kouoh, the first African woman to lead the Venice Biennale, was due to present her plans for the prestigious international art exhibition next week

Koyo Kouoh, Curator Tapped for 61st Venice Biennale, Dies at 57

Cameroonian curator Koyo Kouoh, who was selected to lead the 2026 Venice Biennale, died suddenly at the age of 57 on Saturday, May 10. Her husband, Philippe Mall, confirmed with the New York Times that Kouoh’s death was attributed to her recent cancer diagnosis.Appointed as the next Venice Biennale’s artistic director in December, Kouoh would have been the first African woman to oversee the international exhibition, whose theme and title she was…

Koyo Kouoh, one of Africa's most distinguished art leaders who was chosen as curator of the 2026 Venice Biennale, has suddenly said goodbye.

«The Venice Biennale is deeply saddened and dismayed to learn of the sudden and premature death of Koyo Kouoh, curator of the 61st International Art Exhibition, whose opening is scheduled for 9 May 2026 . Named in December 2024 by the Board of Directors of the Biennale, Koyo Kouoh worked with passion, intellectual rigor and vision in the conception and development of the Biennale Art 2026. The presentation of the title and the theme of the exhib…