Koyo Kouoh, the Cameroonian-born curator appointed to lead the 2026 Venice Biennale, has died unexpectedly at age 57. The Venice Biennale announced her passing on Saturday, describing her as a figure of “passion, intellectual rigor, and vision.” Her husband, Philippe Mall, stated that a recently diagnosed cancer was the cause of death in a hospital in Basel, Switzerland. Kouoh had served as executive director and chief curator of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art (Zeitz MOCAA) in Cape Town since 2019, and was the second African-born curator to lead the Venice Biennale.
Kouoh’s death is a major loss to the global contemporary art world, particularly for the advancement of African art and perspectives. Her appointment to the Venice Biennale was historic, and her commitment to expanding the global narrative of contemporary art, especially from Africa, had made her a widely admired figure. Her passing leaves a significant void in the leadership of one of the art world’s most prestigious exhibitions and at Zeitz MOCAA, where she championed critical artistic practices from the Global South.