Koyo Kouoh's Posthumous Venice Biennale Exhibition to Open

Koyo Kouoh, the curator of the Venice Biennale's central exhibition, died suddenly at age 57 from liver cancer in May 2025, just months into her role. Despite her death, the Biennale's organizers decided to continue her work, and the exhibition titled "In Minor Keys" will open on May 9, 2026, as planned. The show features 110 artists and collectives, including Wangechi Mutu, Alvaro Barrington, and Nick Cave. Kouoh had learned of her diagnosis after an MRI scan during a work trip to Senegal; she was a heavy smoker but did not have lung cancer. Her husband recounted that curating the Biennale was her ultimate goal.