Koyo Kouoh, 2026 Venice Art Biennale curator, dies suddenly aged 58
The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town in South Africa confirmed the news overnight but gave no cause. The Biennale said it was "deeply saddened and dismayed" to learn of her death.
Kouoh was the first African woman asked to helm the Venice Art Biennale. Born in Cameroon in 1967, she was invited to curate the 2026 edition of the Biennale in December. A leading figure in promoting Pan-Africanism throughout the art world, Kouoh had been executive director and chief curator at Zeitz since 2019.
Appointed in December 2024 by the board of directors of La Biennale, Kouoh worked "with passion, intellectual rigor and vision on the conception and development of the Biennale Arte 2026," the Venice arts institution said.
The presentation of the exhibition's title and theme was due to take place in Venice on May 20.
Kouoh also increased her reputation by curating the pioneering 2022 exhibition "When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting." The show's title was inspired by the 2019 Netflix miniseries When They See Us by African-American director Ava DuVernay, which focuses on how Black youth are seen as potential criminals and thus as a threat.
Related
"When We See Us": Swiss museum showcases 100 years of Black figurative painting
"Her passing leaves an immense void in the world of contemporary art and in the international community of artists, curators, and scholars who had the privilege of knowing and admiring her extraordinary human and intellectual commitment," the Biennale said.
It extended "its deepest sympathies and affection" to Kouoh's family and friends, and "all those who shared with her a journey of research and critical thought on contemporary art."
In a statement, Italy's Premier Giorgia Meloni expressed her "deepest condolences" for Kouoh's "premature and sudden passing," noting it "leaves a void in the world of contemporary art."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘One Piece' Renewed For Season 3 By Netflix, Drops First-Look Season 2 Images
One Piece has earned an early season 3 renewal by Netflix. The live-action pirate show isn't returning for a second season until 2026. At this weekend's annual One Piece Day celebration in Tokyo, Japan, Netflix shared a first look at the upcoming season that's based on Japan's highest-selling manga series of all time by Eiichiro Oda. (You can see the images above and below.) More from Deadline Everything We Know About Lady Gaga's 'Wednesday' Season 2 Role So Far 'Kpop Demon Hunters' Stars Arden Cho, May Hong & Ji-young Yoo On Portraying "Vulnerable Girls Who Also Kick Ass" How Percy Hynes White's Xavier Thorpe Was Written Off Netflix's 'Wednesday' Production on season 3 will kick off in Cape Town, South Africa later this year. Ian Stokes, who has been co-executive producer on One Piece, is set to join Joe Tracz as co-showrunner. He succeeds Matt Owens who departed in March after serving as executive producer and co-showrunner on Seasons 1 and 2. Tracz became co-showrunner in Season 2 and has been shepherding the season through post-production following Owens' exit. Here's the logline for season 2, which promises to 'unleash fiercer adversaries and the most perilous quests yet. Luffy and the Straw Hats set sail for the extraordinary Grand Line—a legendary stretch of sea where danger and wonder await at every turn. As they journey through this unpredictable realm in search of the world's greatest treasure, they'll encounter bizarre islands and a host of formidable new enemies.' Executive Producers for season 2 are Tracz and Owens, Eiichiro Oda, Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements, Tetsu Fujimura, Chris Symes, Christoph Schrewe and Steven Maeda. The show is created in partnership with Shueisha and is produced by Tomorrow Studios (an ITV Studios partner). One Piece follows Monkey D. Luffy on his quest to find the legendary fabled treasure, the One Piece, and become King of the Pirates. After its debut on Netflix in 2023, the live-action series spent eight weeks on the Global Top 10, reaching No. 1 in over 75 countries and making history as the first Netflix English-language series to debut at No. 1 in Japan. The show has nearly 100M views and is one of Netflix's most downloaded shows of all time. Best of Deadline TV Cancellations Photo Gallery: Series Ending In 2024 & Beyond 2024 TV Series Renewals Photo Gallery Broadcast TV Cancellations For 2024-25: Photo Gallery Solve the daily Crossword
News24
16 hours ago
- News24
Fashion label Imprint ZA partners with Women for Change in star-studded campaign
This Women's Month, the runway transforms into a rallying point for change. Fashion house Imprint ZA has joined forces with advocacy organisation Women for Change for a campaign that refuses to separate style from purpose. At the core of the campaign stand powerhouse women Zikhona Sodlaka, Pabi Moloi, Penny Lebyane and Lerato Sengadi, the initiative goes beyond the glamour of the catwalk. In the campaign, each ambassador wears a one-of-a-kind garment, custom-designed to honour her personal strength, journey and legacy. More than a runway moment For Imprint ZA founder and designer Mzukisi Mbane, this collaboration is deeply personal. 'I've always used my platform to advocate for issues I feel strongly about,' he says. 'I've seen first-hand the power, strength and resilience of women – but I've also seen their pain, victimisation and violation. This campaign is about recognising and empowering the women in my life.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by IMPRINT South Africa (@imprint_za) Known for emotive, deliberate and unapologetically powerful prints, Imprint ZA's work has always carried meaning. But this time, the message is urgent: women are not just statistics, victims or symbols – they are human beings. 'The world has victimised and isolated women for so long that people have forgotten they are human too,' Mzukisi says. 'They deserve soft love, a soft life, protection, support – to be seen, heard, valued. And above all, they deserve to live.' Balancing fashion with truth Blending couture elegance with unflinching social commentary is not new for the fashion brand. '[In 2024], at the Durban July, I collaborated with the HIV and AIDS organisation Forever Wena,' Mzukisi recalls. 'I created prints carrying HIV and AIDS educational symbolism, messages some saw as 'too much' for the public – but transformed them into garments that still resonated. For me, balance comes from sensitivity and thoughtfulness, making advocacy meaningful rather than performative.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kwenzo Ngcobo (@kwenzo_pholoba) Marvels of Mzansi: A print with a pulse This campaign also debuts a signature design Marvels of Mzansi, which a visual love letter to South African women across time, culture and legacy. The richly layered print features hand-sketched portraits of the four celebrity ambassadors, intertwined with faces of women from every walk of life, political trailblazers, human rights defenders, music and film icons, and everyday heroines. Among the women is Mzukisi's own mother. Beyond Women's Month For the designer, this is more than a seasonal campaign. It's a statement that advocacy and artistry can live in the same space – that fashion can confront injustice without losing beauty. 'For me, advocacy is not an accessory,' Mzukisi says. 'It's woven into the fabric of what I do.'
News24
20 hours ago
- News24
‘Work became my therapy': Tsholofelo Matshaba on coping after husband's death
Seasoned actor Tsholofelo Matshaba opens up about losing her husband Chris to cancer in 2018. Matshaba says returning to work early became therapy that helped her cope with grief. The star admits grief never goes away: 'You don't get over losing your life partner.' Six years after losing her husband to cancer, actor Tsholofelo Matshaba is opening up about grief, healing, and how her craft became an unexpected lifeline during the darkest period of her life. Chris Matshaba, a beloved former Motsweding FM and North West FM radio presenter, died in 2018 following a lengthy battle with cancer. He was just six months shy of his 40th birthday when he died, leaving behind a devastated wife who had to navigate life without the man she 'woke up next to every single morning.' The couple married in 2014 in Ramokokastad in the North West province, building a life together that would be tragically cut short by illness. Rather than taking extended time off to mourn, Tsholofelo made a decision that surprised many - she returned to work relatively quickly after her husband's burial. But for the seasoned performer, this wasn't about avoiding grief; it was about survival. 'We, as performers, know that our work is also therapy. It heals. It's therapy for the audience. But this time around, my work became my therapy, and that's how I was able to cope,' she explains. At the time, Tsholofelo was juggling two demanding projects - filming the long-running drama Muvhango while simultaneously working on the comedy series Skwizas. To outsiders, her ability to switch between intense drama and lighthearted comedy seemed impossible for someone in the throes of grief. The stage and screen became her safe space to channel the overwhelming emotions that threatened to consume her. 'That's how I took out some of the pain, some of the anger, some of the frustrations, some of the questions that I know will never be answered. I laid it out on stage,' she reveals. The healing power of performance wasn't without its challenges. During one particularly difficult day on set, Tsholofelo encountered an unexpected trigger - a coffin used as a prop. The sight sent her spiralling, a stark reminder that grief doesn't follow schedules. ALSO READ | 'It was difficult': Amanda Manku on Skeem Saam pregnancy loss amid off-screen baby bliss When asked how she 'got over' losing her husband, she said, 'You don't.' 'This was a person you woke up next to every single morning. This was a person you saw forever with, you know.' Six years later, Tsholofelo acknowledges that healing isn't linear. Her relationship with grief continues to evolve, marked by good days and challenging ones. 'It doesn't go away. Today I can talk about it and smile. Tomorrow it might be something else. And when you ask me about him, I might tear up or cry even,' she admits. A year after Chris's passing, Tsholofelo took to Instagram to share a tribute. She described the pain as something that 'still cuts and burns like a hot rod.' Her tribute was also a celebration of the love they shared: 'I am grateful to have been blessed to have you and all your true love. It was always sweet to call you my angel, now it's bittersweet.'
