"In December 2024, art curator Koyo Kouoh became the first African woman selected to curate the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. She proposed an introspective and sensitive approach to the exhibition, shaped by themes of grief, memory, spirituality, and global exhaustion. Following her premature passing in May 2025, the Biennale decided to continue with the same curatorial project, titled In Minor Keys."
"Wolff Architects was appointed by Kouoh in early 2025 to realize the exhibition design and scenography, focused on "the transformative spatial power of the threshold as a portal to alternative comprehension and experiences." The event was inaugurated on Saturday, May 9, and will run until Sunday, November 22, 2026, across the Giardini della Biennale, the Arsenale di Venezia, and other locations throughout Venice."
"In the recently renovated Central Pavilion at the Giardini and throughout the Arsenale, thresholds are marked by indigo banners that extend from the rafters to the floor, signaling transitions between the exhibition's different phases. The exhibition includes 31 Collateral Events and 100 National Participations distributed across the historic pavilions at the Giardini (29), the Arsenale (25), and locations throughout Venice's historic center (46)."
"The event has also been the subject of protests and controversy following the acceptance of Russia and Israel as participants, a decision that faced opposition from the outset. Participating countries include the Republic of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of Nauru, Qatar, the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Federal Republic of Somalia, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. El Salvador is also participating for the first time with its own pavilion."
Koyo Kouoh became the first African woman selected to curate the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, proposing an introspective approach shaped by grief, memory, spirituality, and global exhaustion. After her premature passing in May 2025, the Biennale continued the same curatorial project titled In Minor Keys. Wolff Architects was appointed in early 2025 to realize the exhibition design and scenography, emphasizing the transformative spatial power of the threshold as a portal to alternative comprehension and experiences. The exhibition opened May 9 and runs until November 22, 2026, across the Giardini della Biennale, the Arsenale di Venezia, and other Venice locations. Thresholds are marked by indigo banners, and the program includes 31 Collateral Events and 100 National Participations, including new participation from El Salvador, alongside protests over Russia and Israel’s acceptance.
#venice-biennale-2026 #curatorial-design #thresholds-and-scenography #grief-and-memory #national-pavilions
Read at ArchDaily
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]