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Zeitz MOCAA and the Global Stage
In 2019, Kouoh was appointed executive director and chief curator of Zeitz MOCAA, the largest museum of contemporary African art. She reinvigorated the institution, diversifying its leadership, expanding its curatorial programming, and leading exhibitions such as When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting. She foregrounded retrospectives of major artists including Tracey Rose and Mary Evans, establishing a rhythm of deep artistic engagement that pushed beyond trends into scholarship and legacy.
Her work culminated in her selection as the curator of the 2026 Venice Biennale, a landmark appointment that positioned her as the first African woman to lead the world’ s most prestigious contemporary art exhibition. Tragically, Kouoh passed away in May 2025, just months before she was to announce her vision for the Biennale.
A Legacy of Sovereignty in Thought
Koyo Kouoh’ s curatorial legacy is not simply defined by the exhibitions she organized or the institutions she led. It is embodied in her philosophical stance— that African contemporary art must speak first to itself, within its own languages, histories, and urgencies. She rejected narratives of validation through Western gaze and insisted that context defines meaning.
Flashmag! Issue 161 June 2025
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