Venice Biennale 2026 to Proceed with Koyo Kouoh's Curatorial Vision 'In Minor Keys'
The 61st Venice Biennale is kicking off on May 9, 2026, celebrating the late curator Koyo Kouoh, who sadly passed away at 57 earlier this month. At a press conference on May 27, Pietrangelo Buttafuco, the Biennale president, confirmed that the exhibition will follow Kouoh's vision, with full support from her family. Kouoh, the first African woman to lead the Biennale, had been developing her show titled 'In Minor Keys' since late 2024, emphasizing emotional and sensory experiences over crisis themes. Her curatorial team features advisors like Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo and Rasha Salti. The event began with a video of Kouoh recorded after her 2024 appointment, and the list of artists will be unveiled on February 25, 2026. Originally from Cameroon, Kouoh lived in Zurich and was previously the chief curator at the Zeitz Museum in Cape Town.
Key facts
- The 61st Venice Biennale opens May 9, 2026.
- Curator Koyo Kouoh died earlier this month at age 57 after a cancer diagnosis.
- Kouoh was the first African woman appointed to lead the Venice Biennale.
- Her exhibition is titled 'In Minor Keys,' developed since late 2024.
- The curatorial team includes Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo, Marie Helene Pereira, Rasha Salti, Siddhartha Mitter, and Rory Tsapayi.
- The full artist list will be announced February 25, 2026.
- Kouoh was born in Cameroon and raised in Zurich, Switzerland.
- She previously worked at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town, South Africa.
Entities
Artists
- Koyo Kouoh
- Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo
- Marie Helene Pereira
- Rasha Salti
- Siddhartha Mitter
- Rory Tsapayi
- Pietrangelo Buttafuco
- Cristiana Costanzo
- Pietrangelo Buttafuoco
- Giorgia Meloni
Institutions
- Venice Biennale
- Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa
- ArtAsiaPacific
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Cameroon
- Zurich
- Switzerland
- Cape Town
- South Africa