Remembering Koyo Kouoh: Visionary Curator and Cultural Force Dies at 57

Koyo Kouoh, a pioneering curator and the executive director of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in Cape Town, has passed away at the age of 57 due to cancer, as confirmed by her husband Philippe Mall in a statement to The New York Times.

Kouoh’s passing comes just months after she was appointed curator of the 2026 Venice Biennale, one of the most prestigious roles in the art world. The Biennale’s organisers expressed deep sorrow at her unexpected death, describing it as a tremendous loss to the global art community. Kouoh had been in the midst of preparing for the 61st edition of the event, with a formal announcement of its theme and title originally planned for May 20. Officials have not yet disclosed how the Biennale will proceed without her leadership.

Born in Cameroon and raised in Switzerland, Kouoh earned widespread acclaim for her dedication to showcasing contemporary African art and elevating voices from the African diaspora. She was lauded for her scholarly insight, curatorial integrity, and relentless pursuit of visibility for underrepresented artists on the global stage.

Since taking the helm at Zeitz MOCAA in 2019, Kouoh transformed the institution into a dynamic hub for African and diasporic creativity. Under her leadership, the museum staged numerous landmark exhibitions, most notably When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting in 2022. This groundbreaking show, which examined the evolution of Black portraiture over a hundred years, later travelled to Kunstmuseum Basel, earning international acclaim.

Kouoh’s legacy endures in the artists she championed, the institutions she shaped, and the inclusive vision of art history she so powerfully advanced.