Koyo Kouoh, a towering figure in the global art scene and a relentless advocate for African artists, passed away last weekend at the age of 57, leaving an irreplaceable void in the contemporary art world. Her death, confirmed by husband Philippe Mall, follows a brief but arduous battle with cancer that was only diagnosed recently, plunging the artistic community into mourning.
Robin Rhode, fellow artist and friend, was among the first to express shock at the news, offering a poignant reflection on Kouoh’s impact. Alongside renowned Nigerian curators Bisi Silva and Okwui Enwezor—who tragically left us in 2019—Kouoh represented a generation of African artistic voices silenced too soon. To many, their collective deaths mark a profound loss for Africa’s artistic narrative.
Curator Azu Nwagbogu shared a heartfelt tribute, lamenting the loss of “a relentless, restless, and determined curator” known for her tireless dedication to African arts. “May she find peace, and may the ancestors receive her. Her legacy will continue to inspire and endure,” he wrote, emphasising the lasting influence Kouoh leaves behind.
Julie Mehretu, another revered artist, followed with devastating words about her dear friend. “Koyo was one of the most formidably intelligent, gregarious, and dazzlingly effervescent people I have ever met,” she shared, celebrating Kouoh’s pan-African spirit and her commitment to amplifying the voices of artists from the continent.
Celebrating a Legacy of Empowerment
Born in Douala, Cameroon, Kouoh moved to Zurich as a teenager, where her diverse upbringing laid the groundwork for her deep appreciation of cultures and communities. In 2019, she embarked on a new chapter as the managing director and chief curator of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) in Cape Town. Under her stewardship, the museum became a landmark in contemporary art, focusing on expression from Africa and its diaspora. “We are building our own voice, our own language,” she proclaimed when she took on the role, aiming to cultivate decentralized spaces for self-expression.
Kouoh’s work transcended geographic boundaries, fostering connections between artists and advocating for impactful narratives. She viewed Dakar, Senegal, as a spiritual home and a source of her inspiration, often speaking of its “welcoming, pacifist ancestral culture.” Throughout her career, she curated high-profile exhibitions, including the significant “When we see us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting,” and led the arts programme for the 1:54 African Art Fair, making waves in international spheres.
As friends and colleagues reflect on Kouoh’s extraordinary journey, they depict her as a fusion of brilliance and warmth. Billie Zangewa, an artist currently displaying her work at the Norval Foundation, shared her disbelief, stating, “Koyo was a dynamic luminary with incredible presence. I loved hearing her speak.” Her influence radiated not just in the art she curated, but through the personal connections she forged with her community.
A Visionary’s Commitment to Challenging Norms
Kouoh’s curatorial ethos challenged norms and questioned the very foundations of the art world. Advocating tirelessly for women’s voices, she believed in the necessity of shifting paradigms within contemporary art. Her words reflected a deep understanding of the complexity of the Black experience and how that narrative encompasses much more than historical traumas. “There is so much to the Black experience that cannot be limited to enslavement, colonisation, and apartheid,” she asserted, inspiring myriad artists to embrace and express the richness of their cultural heritage.
On her vision for the Venice Biennale, where she was set to become the first African woman in charge, Kouoh expressed a desire for the exhibition to “carry meaning for the world we currently live in—and most importantly, for the world we want to make.” Her passing just months before entering this prestigious role underscores the art world’s loss of one of its leading lights.
Kouoh’s influence reached beyond the African continent, earning her acclaim in exhibitions around the globe. Her commitment to redefining curatorial practices is best encapsulated by what Italian art magazine Artuu wrote in tribute: “Kouoh did not leave a title for the Biennale, but she did leave a grammar: the urgency to rewrite the rules.”
As the global art community reflects on her vibrant legacy and mourns her loss, one sentiment remains unmistakable—Koyo Kouoh’s brilliance as a curator and her unwavering dedication to promoting African artists will continue to echo through the halls of contemporary art for generations to come.