Derrick Adams Unveils Monumental Koyo Kouoh Portrait in Venice

American artist Derrick Adams has installed a monumental portrait of the late curator Koyo Kouoh on a building façade facing the Rio della Tana in Venice, near the Arsenale. The project was spearheaded by curator Francesco Bonami, who invited Kouoh to serve on the jury of the 50th Venice Biennale. Titled "Heavy is the head that wears the crown" (2026), the painting references Shakespeare's Henry IV and incorporates the word "JOY" in the crown. Adams, known for vibrant depictions of Black joy, used a fractured geometric palette of browns, golds, and pinks, giving Kouoh a Byzantine icon-like appearance. The work honors Kouoh's legacy as the first African woman to curate the Venice Biennale and her championing of Black voices. Kouoh, who died of cancer at 57 in May 2025, previously served as a curatorial advisor for documenta 12 and 13, helped develop the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, and was executive director and chief curator of Zeitz MOCAA. Her 2026 Biennale theme is "In Minor Keys."