Venice Biennale 2026: In Minor Keys Opens with Koyo Kouoh's Posthumous Curatorial Vision
The 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, titled In Minor Keys, opened on May 9, 2026, and runs until November 22, 2026. The exhibition was curated by Koyo Kouoh, who in December 2024 became the first African woman selected to curate the Biennale. Following her death in May 2025, the Biennale continued with her curatorial project, which explores themes of grief, memory, spirituality, and global exhaustion. Wolff Architects, appointed by Kouoh in early 2025, designed the exhibition scenography, focusing on the threshold as a portal to alternative experiences. The event takes place across the Giardini della Biennale, the Arsenale di Venezia, and other locations in Venice. Eight national pavilions are highlighted, including the Pavilion of Greece with an installation titled Escape Room, photographed by Andrea Avezzù.
Key facts
- Koyo Kouoh became the first African woman to curate the Venice Art Biennale in December 2024.
- Kouoh passed away in May 2025, but the Biennale continued with her curatorial project.
- The 61st International Art Exhibition is titled In Minor Keys.
- Wolff Architects was appointed by Kouoh in early 2025 for exhibition design and scenography.
- The exhibition opened on May 9, 2026, and runs until November 22, 2026.
- Venues include the Giardini della Biennale, the Arsenale di Venezia, and other locations in Venice.
- The Pavilion of Greece features an installation called Escape Room.
- Andrea Avezzù photographed the Pavilion of Greece for the Biennale.
Entities
Artists
- Koyo Kouoh
- Andrea Avezzù
Institutions
- La Biennale di Venezia
- Wolff Architects
- Biennale di Venezia
- Venice Biennale
- Inferno Magazine
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Giardini della Biennale
- Arsenale di Venezia
- Giardini
- Arsenale