Koyo Kouoh, the acclaimed Cameroonian-born curator who was appointed to organize the 2026 Venice Biennale, died on Saturday at a hospital in Basel, Switzerland, at age 57. Her husband confirmed she died of cancer following a recent diagnosis. Kouoh had been selected in December to become the first woman from Africa to curate the prestigious international exhibition, and the Biennale's statement mourned her loss as leaving "an immense void in the world of contemporary art."
Kouoh's death creates immediate uncertainty for the 2026 Biennale, scheduled to run from May 9 to November 22, as she had not yet announced its title or theme. A Biennale spokesperson said a scheduled press conference on May 20 would proceed, but the future direction of the exhibition remains unclear. Beyond this event, Kouoh's passing represents a profound loss for the global art community: she was a tireless advocate for African artists, founded the Raw Material Company art center in Dakar, and served as executive director of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town, where she championed Black artists through landmark exhibitions.