Remembering Koyo Kouoh, one of the most influential curators in the global art world, and one of its most original thought leaders

Koyo Kouoh, the influential curator and executive director of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz Mocaa) in Cape Town, has died at age 57, just ten days before she was to announce the title and themes of the 2026 Venice Biennale, for which she had been appointed curator of the international exhibition in December 2024—the first African woman to hold that role. Kouoh transformed Zeitz Mocaa from a fledgling institution into a globally respected museum, securing the donation of Jochen Zeitz's collection, expanding the board, and launching community-focused initiatives like the exhibition *Home is Where the Art is* (2020-21) and the online summit Radical Solidarity.