Poetry Caravan Honors Late Curator Koyo Kouoh at Venice Biennale
During the second day of the Venice Biennale preview, Cuban artist María Magdalena Campos-Pons launched a poetry caravan traversing seven locations within the Giardini. This event paid tribute to Koyo Kouoh, the curator of the main 'In Minor Keys' exhibition, who tragically passed away from cancer in May 2025 at the age of 57. Led by Marie Hélène Pereira, the caravan featured notable poets such as Natalie Diaz and Anne Waldman, alongside musical performances by Saliou Cissokho and Philippe Mall, Kouoh’s husband. The spontaneous gathering resonated with visitors, especially in the wake of a recent protest against the Russia Pavilion.
Key facts
- Poetry caravan at Venice Biennale honored Koyo Kouoh
- Initiated by María Magdalena Campos-Pons on second preview day
- Kouoh died of cancer at 57 in May 2025
- Caravan inspired by Kouoh's 1999 voyage from Dakar to Timbuktu
- Organized by Marie Hélène Pereira and a five-person team
- Featured poets Natalie Diaz, Robin Coste Lewis, Batool Abu Akleen, Anne Waldman
- Philippe Mall performed 'Wise One' and 'Nature Boy'
- Event was unsanctioned but permitted
Entities
Artists
- María Magdalena Campos-Pons
- Koyo Kouoh
- Natalie Diaz
- Robin Coste Lewis
- Batool Abu Akleen
- Anne Waldman
- Saliou Cissokho
- Philippe Mall
- Christian Campbell
- Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung
- Marie Hélène Pereira
- Anna M. Dempster
- Radu Neacșu
Institutions
- Venice Biennale
- Hyperallergic
- Wolfson College, Cambridge University
- Illy
- Pussy Riot
- FEMEN
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Giardini
- Dakar
- Senegal
- Timbuktu
- Mali