Death of globally renowned art figure Koyo Kouoh mourned

The art world was shocked by the sudden passing of the executive director and chief curator of the Zeitz Mocaa in Cape Town. Already a highly esteemed curator, she was on the brink of making history as an African woman.

- By Siyabonga Goni

Koyo Kouoh, a prominent arts figure in the world and executive director and chief curator of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town (Zeitz Mocaa), who was slated to become the first African woman to curate the Venice Biennale in 2026, died on Saturday, 10 May, at the age of 57 in Switzerland. Details of her death were not shared.

Born in Cameroon in 1967, Kouoh grew up in Douala until the age of 13, when she moved to Switzerland. She eventually studied business administration and banking and worked with migrant women as a social worker.

She lived in many countries including South Africa. In Cape Town, she was appointed executive director and chief curator for the Zeitz Mocaa in 2019.

In 2007 and 2012, Kouoh joined the curatorial teams for the documenta 12 and documenta 13 exhibitions in Kassel, Germany. She was also on the search committee that chose Polish curator Adam Szymczyk as artistic director for documenta 14.