The article reports on the 2026 Venice Biennale proceeding without its curator Koyo Kouoh, who died last May from liver cancer. Her husband Philippe Mall and son Djibril Schmed agreed with Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco to continue the exhibition, which opens to the public on May 9. Elsewhere, a Chicago judge sentenced Robert Dunlap to 23 years for a cryptocurrency scam claiming to be backed by artworks by Picasso, Dalí, and van Gogh. A Renoir painting once owned by the Duchess of Alba is returning to Spain, and a robot docent named R1 debuted at Palazzo Madama in Turin.
This matters because the Venice Biennale is one of the world's most prestigious art events, and the posthumous realization of Kouoh's vision raises questions about curatorial legacy and institutional continuity. The crypto scam highlights vulnerabilities in the art market's intersection with digital finance, while the Renoir restitution underscores ongoing cultural repatriation efforts. The robot docent and new art fair in Fiuggi signal evolving trends in art presentation and accessibility.