Koyo Kouoh Appointed Curator for the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia

The Venice Biennale Board, following a proposal by President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, has appointed Koyo Kouoh as Director of the Visual Arts Sector, with the responsibility of curating the 61st International Art Exhibition in 2026. This appointment reflects the Biennale’s commitment to broadening its curatorial perspectives and embracing diverse global voices.

Koyo Kouoh, born in Cameroon in 1967 and raised in Switzerland, brings extensive experience in the international art scene. Since 2019, she has been the Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in Cape Town, where she oversees Africa’s largest collection of contemporary art. Kouoh was also the founding Artistic Director of RAW Material Company in Dakar, Senegal, and has contributed to renowned events such as documenta 12 (2007) and documenta 13 (2012). In 2020, she received the Swiss Grand Prix Meret Oppenheim, acknowledging her contributions to the arts. She works between Cape Town, Dakar, and Basel.

In his statement, President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco highlighted that Kouoh’s appointment embodies a forward-thinking approach to art curation, positioning the Biennale as a platform for the most innovative voices shaping the future of contemporary art.

Koyo Kouoh expressed her honour in taking on the role, emphasising the Biennale’s longstanding importance in the global art world. She is committed to creating an exhibition that resonates with both current concerns and future possibilities, and she thanked the Biennale Board, particularly President Buttafuoco, for this opportunity.

Kouoh’s curatorial practice spans significant exhibitions such as “Body Talk” (2015), “Still (the) Barbarians” (2016), and “Dig Where You Stand” (2018). She has also shaped the educational and artistic programme of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair (2013-2017) in London and New York. In addition to her curatorial work, she is the author of influential publications, including “When We See Us” (2022) and “Shooting Down Babylon” (2022), and has curated exhibitions for artists like Otobong Nkanga and Tracey Rose at Zeitz MOCAA.

Kouoh is known for challenging dominant narratives in the art world, particularly those shaped by Eurocentric perspectives. Her work consistently highlights African and diasporic voices, exploring the intersections of art, identity, and society.