A monumental portrait of late Venice Biennale curator Koyo Kouoh, created by American artist Derrick Adams, has been unveiled in Venice ahead of the Biennale's public opening. The collage, titled *Heavy is the head that wears the crown* (2026), is displayed near the Arsenale until September 24. Kouoh, who died unexpectedly in May 2025 at age 57, was the first African woman to curate the Biennale. Adams' work uses golden hues and flattened forms to celebrate Kouoh's legacy, referencing the pressures of leadership and the joy she brought to the art world.
This tribute matters because Kouoh was a transformative figure in contemporary art, having championed Pan-African art and diasporic culture as executive director and chief curator of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. Her sudden death just days before announcing her Biennale plans shook the art world, but her vision for the 61st edition, titled *In Minor Keys*, is being carried out by her curatorial team. The portrait not only honors Kouoh's historic role but also highlights the ongoing conversation about representation and the burdens faced by Black women in leadership positions within the art world.