Koyo Kouoh Appointed Artistic Director of 61st Venice Biennale Amid Curatorial Debates

Koyo Kouoh, who serves as the executive director and chief curator at Zeitz MoCAA in Cape Town, has been named the artistic director for the upcoming 61st Venice Biennale, scheduled for April 2026. In 2008, she founded Raw Material Company in Senegal, which concentrates on urban living, literature, and political issues, eventually establishing a permanent presence in Dakar. Kouoh prioritizes empathy and understanding when addressing socioethical challenges. Her selection arrives during a time of intricate curatorial difficulties, as evidenced by Adriano Pedrosa's recent exhibition at the Venice Biennale that tackled issues of exclusion linked to racism and sexism. In June 2024, artist Tracey Rose criticized her for alleged censorship at Kunstmuseum Bern. Kouoh champions the transformative potential of art in a divided society.