The 61st Venice Biennale's international exhibition, titled "In Minor Keys," opened with a somber curatorial press conference, as artistic director Koyo Kouoh, who died in May 2024 at age 57, was not physically present. The exhibition features 110 invited participants across the Arsenale and Giardini, including works by Buhlebezwe Siwani, Johannes Phokela, Wangechi Mutu, Ebony G. Patterson, and Kambui Olujimi. Protests marked the opening, with gatherings at the temporary Israeli pavilion and Pussy Riot's presence at the Russian pavilion, while the exhibition itself asks viewers to look closer at overlooked forms of representation and consider innovative models of measuring the world.
The exhibition matters because it represents a major curatorial statement by Kouoh, who was the first African-born artistic director of the Venice Biennale, and her team, who carried forward her vision after her death. "In Minor Keys" emphasizes attunement and attention, using banners with quotes from poets like Refaat al-Areer and Toni Morrison to complement the art. The show's focus on sustainable materials, decolonized narratives, and spiritual ecologies reflects contemporary art's engagement with social and political issues, making it a key moment in the global art calendar.