Koyokoo, the pioneering Swiss Cameroonian curator and the first African woman to lead the Venice Biennale, tragically passed away on Saturday, as announced by the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the sudden passing of our beloved executive director and chief curator, Koyo Kouoh, on Saturday, May 10, 2025,” the museum stated in a release on Monday.
Kouoh, 57, was set to oversee the 61st edition of Biennale Arte, scheduled for Venice from April to November 2026.
Born in Douala, Cameroon in 1967, she moved to Zurich during her teenage years and early adulthood. Since 2019, she has been serving as the executive director of Mocaa in Cape Town, South Africa.
Before that, Kouoh was the founder and artistic director of Raw Material Company, an arts center in Dakar, Senegal, where she claimed to have truly become a curator and exhibition maker. “It’s where I matured professionally,” she shared recently. “Dakar shaped me into who I am today.”
As part of her role for the Biennale, she was poised to announce the title and theme of the Venice exhibition soon, specifically on May 20.
The management of the Venice Biennale expressed their immense sadness regarding Kouoh’s unexpected death, noting that she was deeply passionate and intellectually rigorous about her work for Biennale Arte 2026.
They remarked, “Her departure leaves a significant void in the global community of artists, curators, and scholars who had the privilege of knowing and admiring her exceptional contributions.”
Furthermore, the Biennale hinted at a press conference to be held on May 20, to be streamed live from their headquarters.
In response, Zeitz Mocaa has temporarily halted all programming and closed its doors.
Kouoh moved to Switzerland at the age of 13, where she studied business management and banking before embarking on her literary path. In 1994, she co-edited Töchter Afrikas, inspired by the influential anthology featuring writing by women of African descent.
Recognized as a transformative leader at Zeitz Mocaa, she has been credited with developing a “world-class program,” focusing on addressing issues faced by institutions historically involved in several controversies.
In one of her last conversations, Kouoh shared her thoughts on mortality, describing her belief in life after death rooted in the traditions of her ancestors. She expressed that concepts like “after death” or “before death” aren’t as significant to her; instead, she emphasizes the enduring strength of the universe, regardless of life or death.
