111 artists involved The Venice Biennale in the spirit of Koyo Kouoh
The 61st Venice Art Biennale is taking place under the title "In Minor Keys". 111 artists are taking part in the exhibition conceived by the Cameroonian-Swiss curator Koyo Kouoh, who died in May 2025.
05.05.2026, 11:30
05.05.2026, 11:49
SDA
The art biennial will take place in the Giardini, the Arsenale and the Marghera Fortress. Koyo Kouoh described the upcoming edition as a call to slow down the pace and tune in to the lower frequencies. Because according to the late curator, people are overwhelmed by the unsettling "cacophony of chaos".
Koyo Kouoh, who was appointed artistic director in November 2024, defined the theoretical framework and selected artists and works. A poetry procession invites visitors to take part themselves. It ties in with the "Poetry Caravan" co-initiated by Koyo Kouoh - a traveling project from the late 1990s in West Africa that connected various places, including Dakar.
Among the 111 participants, two artists will receive special recognition: Senegalese artist Issa Samb, co-founder of the artist group Laboratoire Agit-Art, and Beverly Buchanan, an African-American artist. The latter has used sculptures, photography and land art to explore traditional architecture and the memory of the southern USA.
Swiss participation
In addition to the exhibition in its pavilion, which is dedicated to coexistence, Switzerland is also represented by several artists. These include Fabrice Aragno from Neuchâtel, a former collaborator of director and screenwriter Jean-Luc Godard, who is exhibiting a cinematic installation. Zurich-based Sabian Baumann questions queer identities and narratives using performative and cinematic means.
Sandra Knecht, on the other hand, explores questions of belonging in culinary art, textiles and photography. For his part, Zurich-based Uriel Orlow, who lives in Geneva, is developing a research project at the interface of art and history, in particular around plants, archives and post-colonial narratives.
The Venice Art Biennale takes place from May 9 to November 22. It is currently surrounded by controversy, as the exclusion of Israel and Russia from the awards, as well as political and legal issues surrounding the Russian pavilion, have sparked international criticism and scrutiny.
