Venice Biennale appoints first African woman to curate show

The Venice Biennale for the first time named an African-born woman as its curator.

Koyo Kouoh is executive director of a prominent Cape Town contemporary art museum, and “has played a pivotal role in championing contemporary African art on the global stage,” Artnet noted.

Her appointment to head the 2026 edition of the exhibition was something of a surprise: Analysts had expected officials behind the Biennale to take a more conservative route after Italy’s nationalist prime minister appointed a right-wing journalist as the cultural event’s leader. He instead appears to be living up “to his reputation as a more idiosyncratic and free-thinking conservative,” The Guardian wrote.