Latest news with #KoyoKouoh
Time Out
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Zeitz MOCAA honours late chief curator Koyo Kouoh
The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) in Cape Town will close its doors on Thursday to honour the life and legacy of its Executive Director and Chief Curator, Koyo Kouoh, who passed away unexpectedly on 10 May in Switzerland. Kouoh was a towering figure in contemporary art and known as a visionary, cultural leader and a fierce advocate for African and Afro-diasporic artistic expression. Appointed in 2019, she led Zeitz MOCAA through a transformative period, redefining the museum's curatorial voice and positioning it as a globally recognised platform for contemporary African art. Her sudden passing came just months after she made history as the first African Artistic Director of the Venice Biennale, where she was curating the 61st edition titled 'In Minor Keys', scheduled to open in May 2026. The Biennale has confirmed that Kouoh's vision will still shape the exhibition, to be realised by her core team. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zeitz MOCAA (@zeitzmocaa) In a tribute shared via LinkedIn, David Green, CEO of the V&A Waterfront and Trustee of Zeitz MOCAA, said, 'It has been with shock and a profound sadness that I received news of the sudden passing of Koyo… In getting to know Koyo over the years since her acceptance of the job to lead Zeitz MOCAA, I, in the role of Trustee and Co-Chair of the museum, had come to appreciate a true sense of her love for what art and artists bring to the world. 'She held an intense conviction that elevating African art was her calling and she extended herself to creating spaces and relationships that would make this possible. Her passing is untimely, and I am going to miss her counsel and friendship immensely,' said Green. Tribute Details for Koyo Kouoh Date: Thursday, 29 May 2025 Time: 4 PM (SAST)
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Bulgari Secures Exclusive Partnership of La Biennale Di Venezia's International Art Exhibition
MILAN — Bulgari has become the exclusive partner of the International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, one of the most prestigious and influential contemporary art showcases in the world. In the role, the Roman jewelry house will support the next three editions of the Venice-based event, running in 2026, 2028 and 2030. More from WWD Consortium Including Anne Hathaway, Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo Invests in Italy's SailGp Team In the Hills of Kyoto, a Glassmaker's Magical Forest The Art of Attolini The collaboration was revealed on Tuesday, as part of the 2026 edition's official presentation at the Ca' Giustinian location in Venice. Bulgari's chief executive officer Jean-Christophe Babin said the art event 'embodies the courage to question, the vision to innovate, and the sensitivity to narrate the evolving spirit of our time.' 'Becoming the exclusive partner of one of the world's most influential platforms for contemporary art powerfully reaffirms Bulgari's enduring dedication to artistic excellence and creative expression,' said Babin. 'Venice holds profound symbolic meaning for our maison as a timeless crossroads where cultures have met for centuries, and where today, the dialogue between identity, heritage and modernity continues to flourish in extraordinary ways.' Titled 'In Minor Keys,' the upcoming 61st edition of the event will run from May 9 to Nov. 22 next year. Curated by the late Cameroonian-Swiss art curator Koyo Kouoh — who suddenly passed away earlier this month — the exhibition will be staged at the city's Giardini and Arsenale venues, as well as in various locations around the Lagoon, and will be an invitation to explore and embrace new ways of perception through slowness, introspection and attunement to the subtle rhythms of life. In welcoming Bulgari as partner, La Biennale di Venezia's president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco underscored that 'beauty is a responsibility to be valued, protected and sustained through critical thinking and research.' 'Our collaboration begins under the sign of Koyo Kouoh's exhibition — a free, ironic and gracious thinker, dedicated to designing courageous and humane futures,' said Buttafuoco. Since 1895, La Biennale di Venezia made its mission to offer an international stage for the exploration and expression of contemporary artistic voices and aimed to challenge conventions and foster cultural dialogue across geographies, as proved by the number of participating countries, which rose from 59 in 1999 to 86 in 2024. Bulgari was founded around the same time, in 1884. Through the years, the LVMH-owned brand has supported many cultural causes, involving both ancient and contemporary art, as proved by renovation works of ancient landmarks in Rome, ranging from the Spanish Steps to the Baths of Caracalla. The company's cultural, philanthropic and social commitment was further strengthened with the launch of Fondazione Bulgari last year, which embraces a plurality of areas and strives to create long-term value in the field of art and patronage, forging meaningful collaborations to nurture creativity and cultural legacy. For example, through the foundation, the company has recently pledged 900,000 euros to support the doubling of the exhibition space of Museo del Novecento in Milan. Opened in 2010 and showcasing more than 300 artworks of the 20th and 21st centuries, the museum is expected to reveal its new spaces by mid-2027. Best of WWD A Brief History of Cartier's 'Love' Fine Jewelry Collection A Look Back at Kate Middleton's Cartier Wedding Day Tiara on Her 13th Wedding Anniversary: A Brief History of the Royal Family's Tradition David Yurman Files Lawsuit Against Mejuri, Alleging 'Serial' Copying
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Venice Art Biennale to honour late curator Koyo Kouoh with 2026 exhibition ‘In Minor Keys'
The curatorial vision for the 61st Venice Biennale, 'In Minor Keys', was revealed in Venice today in an emotional presentation at the Sala delle Colonne of Ca' Giustinian, the Biennale's historic headquarters. Originally set for announcement later this year, the theme was unveiled ahead of schedule following the sad and unexpected death of the exhibition's curator, Koyo Kouoh, on 10 May. A leading figure in promoting Pan-Africanism throughout the art world, Kouoh had served as executive director and chief curator at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town, South Africa since 2019. She earned global acclaim for curating the 2022 exhibition When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting, a monumental historical show inspired by Ava DuVernay's Netflix miniseries When They See Us, and became the first African woman invited to lead the Venice Art Biennale in December 2024. Related Koyo Kouoh, 2026 Venice Art Biennale curator, dies suddenly aged 58 Bahrain wins top prize at Venice Architecture Biennale with a pavilion tackling extreme heat With the support of Kouoh's family, La Biennale di Venezia confirmed it will proceed with the 2026 exhibition exactly as she conceived it, in what will now be a posthumous tribute to her life's work. As they noted, the edition will explore the spaces in which minor keys operate, to conceive "an exhibition that invites listening to the persistent signals of earth and life, connecting to soul frequencies. If in music, the minor keys are often associated with strangeness, melancholy, and sorrow, here their joy, solace, hope, and transcendence manifest as well." Scheduled to run from 9 May to 22 November 2026, 'In Minor Keys' will take place across the Giardini, the Arsenale, and various venues throughout Venice. The full list of participating artists, the exhibition's visual identity, and national pavilions will be officially announced at a press conference on 25 February 2026.
Euronews
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Venice Biennale to honour late curator Koyo Kouoh with 2026 exhibition
The curatorial vision for the 61st Venice Biennale, 'In Minor Keys', was revealed in Venice today in an emotional presentation at the Sala delle Colonne of Ca' Giustinian, the Biennale's historic headquarters. Originally set for announcement later this year, the theme was unveiled ahead of schedule following the sad and unexpected death of the exhibition's curator, Koyo Kouoh, on 10 May. A leading figure in promoting Pan-Africanism throughout the art world, Kouoh had served as executive director and chief curator at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town, South Africa since 2019. She earned global acclaim for curating the 2022 exhibition When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting, a monumental historical show inspired by Ava DuVernay's Netflix miniseries When They See Us, and became the first African woman invited to lead the Venice Art Biennale in December 2024. With the support of Kouoh's family, La Biennale di Venezia confirmed it will proceed with the 2026 exhibition exactly as she conceived it, in what will now be a posthumous tribute to her life's work. As they noted, the edition will explore the spaces in which minor keys operate, to conceive "an exhibition that invites listening to the persistent signals of earth and life, connecting to soul frequencies. If in music, the minor keys are often associated with strangeness, melancholy, and sorrow, here their joy, solace, hope, and transcendence manifest as well." Scheduled to run from 9 May to 22 November 2026, 'In Minor Keys' will take place across the Giardini, the Arsenale, and various venues throughout Venice. The full list of participating artists, the exhibition's visual identity, and national pavilions will be officially announced at a press conference on 25 February 2026.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Koyo Kouoh – tribute to a curator who fiercely promoted African art
The sudden death of the Cameroon-born curator Koyo Kouoh, at the age of 57 and at the height of her career, has shaken the art world. Her passing has left a void in the African arts scene, one which extends far beyond the continent. Born in 1967 in Douala, she spent her teenage and early adult years in Zurich, Switzerland before returning to the continent and settling in Senegal. She lived in Cape Town, South Africa from 2019. There she was executive director and chief curator of the Zeitz MOCAA museum. It holds the continent's largest collection of contemporary art. At the time of her death, she was due to become the first African woman to lead the prestigious Venice Biennale, dubbed the 'Olympics of art world'. She described her practice, as a creative manager of art spaces and exhibitions, as being deeply rooted in: A pan-African, feminist, ancestral, activist perspective, but also one that is generous, inclusive and welcoming. Kouoh was unapologetic about her commitment to promoting Africa and Africanness on the global stage. Her decorated career included serving in global roles as curatorial advisor for leading exhibitions and art events. Read more: As a researcher of modern and contemporary arts of Africa, I first met Kouoh in 2015 when she facilitated a curatorial workshop I attended. I would work with her at Zeitz MOCAA, specifically helping research her landmark show, When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting. Beyond these achievements, Kouoh mentored countless artists and art organisers, especially women. She leaves a legacy of building sustainable art institutions, critical curating with care, uplifting artists and cultural workers, and educating through art. In her own words: My motto has always been, You have to set up your own house and build your own home as opposed to trying to get into someone else's castle. One of the lasting legacies Kouoh left is teaching how to build African arts institutions, which help give creatives the chance to be seen and heard, and to make independent decisions free of the demands of funders. The RAW Material Company that she established in Dakar stands as testimony of that. Through the artist residency and exhibition space, she was able to bring many independent and emerging artists, curators and gallerists to Senegal. There she published books on art from the continent, helping nurture and shift the Africa art ecosystem as it began to play an increasingly visible role in global art markets. Her role in reviving the unstable ship that was the Zeitz MOCAA at the time she took over and steering it to becoming one of Africa's leading cultural institutions and a global competitor says a lot about her vision. As she said: I'm a fixer, I like to take complicated institutions and make them sustainable. The exhibitions she led were thoroughly researched and tended to generate critical discourse and public dialogue. When We See Us, for example, comes with an education programme that includes a webinar series. Each exhibition of the show as it tours globally comes with a symposium and a publication with contributions from critical thinkers in the art industry. Even more impressive is how she managed to bring together people from different sectors, including respected academics, cultural workers and captains of industry. Read more: We cannot talk about Kouoh's contributions to art education without mentioning the Zeitz MOCAA & University of the Western Cape Museum Fellowship Programme, geared to grow 'curatorial practice as well as advance scholarship on contemporary art discourse from the continent'. In my tenure, I observed that the museum's Centre for Art Education and its outreach programme were closest to her heart. At Zeitz MOCAA, Kouoh was more drawn to research-based solo exhibitions or select surveys which offered in-depth insights into 'individual practices, with retrospectives and monographs'. In her time at the museum it shone a spotlight on African artists like Senzeni Marasela, Johannes Phokela, Tracey Rose, Mary Evans, Otobong Nkanga and others. Through the museum's ongoing Atelier programme, a studio residency which is open and experimental in nature, audiences gain insights into an artist's practice, process, thinking and intentions. So far, artists like Thania Petersen, Igshaan Adams, Unathi Mkonto and Berni Searle have shared these processes, which normally remain invisible to those who only see the final work. She did all this in just over five years in Cape Town. Kouoh believed in people's potential and saw infinite possibilities in each one of us. This can be seen through the many peers and young talents she mentored and provided space to flourish. The young team of mostly Black female curators she has left in place at Zeitz MOCAA is proof of that. She cared about the welfare of the people around her. Of the need to elevate women, she stated: The importance, or rather the urgency, of focusing on women's voices cannot be highlighted enough. Recently appointed as the next Venice Biennale's artistic director, Kouoh was due to present the exhibition's title and theme in Venice on 20 May. Those who have known her practice, as well as her obsessions and values, keenly anticipated the day, knowing African voices would take centre stage. I hope her team will be allowed to execute her ideas to the end. Kouoh belonged to a pioneering generation of African curators who worked hard for the recognition of African voices and creativity on the global stage. Although that recognition started to be earned in the 1990s, she realised a lot more still needed to be done, which is why she never stopped working, even at the most difficult of times. She shared her vision of building strong independent institutions, encouraging others to do the same. She led in documenting and critically engaging artistic processes, and in producing African knowledge. May her legacy and her spirit live on. As she said: I do believe in life after death, because I come from an ancestral black education where we believe in parallel lives and realities. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Barnabas Ticha Muvhuti, Rice University Read more: Does free schooling give girls a better chance in life? Burundi study shows the poorest benefited most Teachers in South African schools may be slow to report rape of girls: study shows why Zimbabwe's house of stone: the gallery that showcases a famous sculpture tradition Barnabas Ticha Muvhuti receives funding from the Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Endowment in Art History
