Curator Koyo Kouoh, the first African woman appointed to curate the Venice Biennale, has died suddenly. Her death was confirmed by the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in Cape Town, where she served as executive director and chief curator. The Venice Biennale issued a statement mourning her loss, noting she had been working on the conception and development of the Biennale Arte 2026. Kouoh, born in Cameroon in 1967, was a prominent figure in contemporary African art, having curated for documenta 12 and 13, co-founded the Raw Material Company art center in Dakar, and organized the landmark exhibition "When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting" at Zeitz MOCAA.
Kouoh's death is a profound loss for the global contemporary art world, particularly for the African art scene she championed. Her appointment to the Venice Biennale marked a historic milestone, and her passing leaves a void in the international community of artists, curators, and scholars. Her legacy includes elevating African contemporary art through rigorous curation and advocacy, as well as mentoring a generation of art professionals. The Biennale Arte 2026, which she was shaping, now faces an uncertain future without her visionary leadership.