Koyo Kouoh's Venice Biennale, titled after ancient wisdom, opens with a focus on healing and historical reimagination. The exhibition features works by artists such as Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka, Khaled Sabsabi, Daniel Lind-Ramos, Guadalupe Maravilla, Kennedy Yanko, and Ayrson Heráclito, alongside a strong emphasis on artist-led schools and institutions like Denniston Hill, blaxTARLINES KUMASI, and RAW Material Company. During the opening, the Koyo Kouoh Foundation was announced, set to launch in Basel to support Pan-African cultural infrastructure. The show includes Refaat Alareer's poem "If I Must Die" and addresses political realities, blending spiritual, ecological, and technological themes to explore collective care and restoration.
This Biennale matters because it positions art as a vehicle for mending societal fractures, emphasizing community-based cultural ecosystems outside traditional market structures. By foregrounding ancient wisdom and transnational exchange, Kouoh challenges dominant narratives and underscores the role of art in addressing contemporary crises like violence, migration, and ecological survival. The announcement of her foundation further solidifies her legacy in building Pan-African cultural infrastructure, making this edition a landmark for inclusive, healing-oriented curatorial practice.