Koyo Kouoh, a prominent figure in the contemporary art world, has died at the age of 57. Her passing was announced by the Venice Biennale, where she was set to become the first African woman to curate the prestigious event. Kouoh’s husband, Philippe Mall, confirmed that she passed away in a Basel hospital after a recent cancer diagnosis.
The Biennale described her death as “sudden and untimely,” leaving “an immense void in the world of contemporary art.”
Born in Douala, Cameroon, in 1967, Kouoh moved to Switzerland at the age of 13. She initially pursued studies in administration and banking before dedicating herself to the art world and returning to Africa in 1996. In Dakar, Senegal, Kouoh founded the RAW Material Company, an independent art center.
She later joined the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in Cape Town, where she became a leading advocate for Black artists.
Remembering curator Koyo Kouoh
Kouoh curated several significant projects, including a major retrospective of South African artist Tracey Rose in 2022.
She also received acclaim for exhibitions such as “Body Talk: Feminism, Sexuality and the Body in the Works of Six African Women Artists” at WIELS Contemporary Art Centre in Brussels and “Still (the) Barbarians” at the 2016 Ireland Biennial in Limerick. Known for her international perspective on curation, Kouoh once said, “I’m an international curator,” highlighting her broad approach to the art world. She was committed to challenging cultural hierarchies and posing uncomfortable questions about art and authority.
Kouoh’s death comes just months before she was set to unveil her plans for the 2026 Venice Biennale, which is scheduled to run from May 9 to November 22, 2026. The Biennale has not yet commented on how her passing will affect the event’s future direction. The art community has expressed deep sorrow at the loss of Koyo Kouoh, whose contributions to contemporary art, especially her work in elevating artists of color, have left an enduring legacy.
She will be remembered as a passionate advocate for inclusivity and a relentless challenger of the status quo in the art world.
