Koyo Kouoh, Pioneering African Curator and Director of Zeitz MOCAA, Dies at 57

Koyo Kouoh was the executive director and chief curator of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town

Koyo Kouoh, the Swiss-Cameroonian curator celebrated for her transformative work in contemporary African art and set to become the first African woman to lead the Venice Biennale, died suddenly on Saturday, May 10, 2025. She was 57 years old.

Her death was announced by the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in Cape Town, where she had served as executive director and chief curator since 2019. Kouoh was internationally recognized for her curatorial vision and leadership, helping shape the museum into a globally respected center for Pan-African contemporary art.

Kouoh had been appointed curator of the 61st edition of the Biennale Arte, scheduled to run in Venice from April to November 2026. She was slated to reveal the exhibition's title and theme on May 20, a milestone that would have marked a historic moment for African representation in one of the world’s most prestigious art exhibitions.

Born in 1967 in Douala, Cameroon, Kouoh moved to Switzerland at the age of 13. She studied business administration and banking in Zurich before beginning a literary career. In 1994, she co-edited Töchter Afrikas, inspired by the acclaimed Daughters of Africa anthology. She later transitioned into the arts, becoming the founding artistic director of Raw Material Company in Dakar, Senegal—a turning point in her curatorial journey.

“Dakar made me who I am today,” Kouoh said in a recent interview, reflecting on her professional growth and the foundation of her curatorial philosophy. Her leadership at Raw Material Company and Zeitz MOCAA emphasized Pan-African perspectives, cultural authenticity, and intellectual depth.

Tributes poured in from across the global art community. The management of the Venice Biennale expressed their grief, calling her work on the Biennale Arte 2026 "passionate, intellectually rigorous, and visionary." They described her death as "an immense loss" to the international community of artists, curators, and scholars who knew and admired her.

Despite her passing, the Biennale is expected to proceed with a press conference on May 20, livestreamed from Venice, to honor her vision and potentially outline the path forward.

Zeitz MOCAA has temporarily closed its doors and suspended all programming in the wake of Kouoh’s death. She was credited with revitalizing the institution, introducing world-class programming, and steering it through difficult times with integrity and creativity.

In one of her final interviews, Kouoh shared her reflections on life and legacy. “I do believe in life after death because I come from an ancestral Black education where we believe in parallel lives and realities,” she said. “There is no ‘after death’, ‘before death’ or ‘during life’. It doesn’t matter that much. I believe in energies – living or dead – and in cosmic strength.”

Koyo Kouoh leaves behind a profound legacy as a cultural leader, visionary curator, and powerful advocate for African voices in the global art world.