The Venice Biennale 2026, titled "In Minor Keys," was curated posthumously following the death of artistic director Koyo Kouoh in May 2025. A team of five curators and advisors—Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo, Marie Hélène Pereira, Rasha Salti, Siddhartha Mitter, and Rory Tsapayi—executed her vision across the Giardini and Arsenale venues. The exhibition features 110 artists, with a strong emphasis on new commissions, and is structured around themes of procession, resistance, and joy. Key works include Big Chief Demond Melancon's "Amistad Takeover" (2026), Nick Cave's "Amalgam (Origin)" (2025), and Otobong Nkanga's rewilded columns at the Central Pavilion.
The review matters because it assesses how successfully Kouoh's core concepts—such as gardens as spaces of defiance, and sentinel figures witnessing historical trauma—were realized despite her absence. The Biennale is a bellwether for global contemporary art trends, and this edition's focus on joy, solace, and transcendence in the face of tragedy reflects a broader shift in curatorial priorities. The review also highlights the challenges of posthumous curation, raising questions about authorship and fidelity to an artist's vision.