A Sudden Loss Shakes a Big Art Event

Koyo Kouoh returned to her hometown of Basel, Switzerland, in May. She told her husband that she had good news and bad news. The good part was that a scan showed no lung cancer, after she had been feeling weak on a trip to Senegal. The bad part was that she had liver cancer. Kouoh was only 57 years old. She died a few months after she started her dream job as curator of the main show at the Venice Biennale. Her exhibition was scheduled to open a year later.The art world wondered if the Biennale would keep her plans. Curating the main show is a huge job that takes months of traveling, meeting artists, and convincing donors. It is hard to finish the work if the curator can no longer continue. The event’s organizers faced a tough choice. They could try to honor Kouoh’s vision or bring in someone new. Either way, the show would be affected by her sudden absence. Kouoh’s story shows how fragile life can be, even for those working on major cultural projects. It reminds us that plans can change quickly and that people’s health matters most.