Koyo Kouoh, curator of the 61st Venice Biennale, has passed away at the age of 58. Museum Zeitz Mocaa in Cape Town, where she was director, announced the news on Saturday. She was to become the first African woman to direct the Biennale next year.
Koyo (58) passed away unexpectedly while completing the most important project of her career: curating the main exhibition of the prestigious Venice Biennale, which will take place for the 61st time next year.
Zeitz Mocaa received the news of her "sudden passing" in the "early morning hours," museum staff announced in an Instagram post. Out of respect, the museum will close its doors on Saturday and suspend all programming until further notice.
Read the full piece here. Also read my interview with Koyo, linked here.