Monumental Portrait of Late Biennale Curator Koyo Kouoh Unveiled in Venice

Venice Biennale 9 May–22 November 2026

A large-scale portrait of Venice Biennale curator Koyo Kouoh, who died unexpectedly in May last year at the age of 57, has today been unveiled in the Italian city, ahead of the exhibition’s public opening later this week.

The collage, created by American visual and performance artist Derrick Adams and titled Heavy is the head that wears the crown (2026), will be on display close to the Arsenale until 24 September. The work has been created as a tribute to Kouoh, who was the first African woman to curate the biennale. 

Adams told Ocula: “Most people will never understand what actually went into the production of this year’s Venice Biennale. We can only imagine. 

“The title of this piece not only acknowledges Koyo’s achievement but also suggests that the presence of Black women in positions of power and leadership adds a level of pressure.”

Kouoh was a leading figure in the international art world who championed contemporary Pan-African art and diasporic culture. 

She was widely credited with having transformed the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, one of Africa’s largest museums, where she was executive director and chief curator for six years prior to her death. Museum colleagues described her as a figure who “radiated joy and momentum”.

Adams’ work, which takes the form of a banner and incorporates flattened forms and golden hues, references in its title the immense pressure faced by those in positions of power, while emphasising feelings of transformation.

The artist said: “Joyous depictions of Black experience have become synonymous with my practice and played a role within her curatorial philosophy: presenting jubilation as a site of resistance and beauty. 

“This work commemorates Koyo by bestowing her with a radiant crown of joy that emits beams of gold signifying the brilliance and reach of her influence.”

Kouoh was appointed to lead the 61st edition of the biennale in December 2024. Her death came just 10 days before she was due to announce her plans for the exhibition.

It was confirmed in May 2025 that her vision, under the title In Minor Keys, would be carried out by her five-strong curatorial team.

Speaking at a press conference at the time, advisors read excerpts of writing by the late curator. They said the exhibition will emphasise “the sensory, the affective, and the subjective” and focus on artists whose practice “seamlessly bleed into society”.

Adams described creating his tribute as “a joy and an honour”. “I hope that feeling is communicated to anyone who encounters it,” he said.

Following a turbulent build up, Venice Biennale’s official preview will begin on 6 May, and the exhibition will open to the public on 9 May.