Koyo Kouoh's Unfinished Vision: Venice Biennale Navigates Silence and Protest

The 2024 Venice Biennale, curated posthumously by Koyo Kouoh, opened amid controversy and protest. Kouoh, the first African woman to curate the Biennale, died suddenly a year before the opening, leaving her concept to be realized by a team including Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo, Siddhartha Mitter, Marie Hélène Pereira, Rasha Salti, and Rory Tsapayi. Her vision emphasized 'minor tones,' introspection, and healing, aiming to reconnect art with emotional and sensory experience. However, the exhibition faced immediate political disruptions: the Golden Lion jury resigned unanimously in April over the inclusion of Russia and Israel; the Biennale replaced the prize with a 'Visitor's Lion' to be awarded on November 22. Protests by Pussy Riot, a joint march by Baltic pavilions, and a general strike on May 8 shut down many pavilions. The Arsenale features 111 artists and collectives, beginning with a banner of Refaat Alareer's poem 'I Will Die.' Works by Ayrson Heráclito, Cauleen Smith, Rose Salane, Raed Yassin, Avi Mograbi, Eric Baudelaire, and the BlaxTARLINES KUMASI collective are highlighted. Despite Kouoh's call for quiet, the Biennale became a sponge for global violence and chaos.