In memory of Koyo Kouoh (1967 – 2025)

It is with deep sorrow that we mourn the passing of Koyo Kouoh — curator extraordinaire, visionary, and integral part of the Engadin Art Talks community.

Koyo believed in the power of gathering. In her words, she was “a lover of convening”, not simply to listen to speakers, but to cultivate a space where ideas, perspectives, and people could meaningfully meet. For her, Engadin Art Talks was never just a programme. It was a site of exchange, of expansion, of mutual education. She cherished how it brought together artists, thinkers, and communities to share knowledge, to challenge one another, and to grow.

Koyo’s curatorial practice was grounded in generosity and care. She approached dialogue as a political and poetic act, a way to imagine new futures together. She brought clarity and integrity to her role at E.A.T., and her influence will continue to resonate in the choices we make.

In honour of Koyo, we are committed to continuing the values she so clearly articulated: a commitment to dialogue, to listening as much as speaking, and to making space for complexity. At Engadin Art Talks, we will strive to maintain the kind of conversations Koyo believed in — those that cross disciplines and geographies, that invite reflection rather than conclusion, and that allow for genuine, sometimes unexpected, connection.

Koyo reminded us that convening is not simply about content, but about community. Her influence will continue to shape how we think, gather, and engage, not as a legacy to be preserved, but as a living practice to be deepened over time.

Our thoughts remain with Koyo’s family, friends, and the many lives around the world touched by her intellect, generosity, and fearless spirit

— The E.A.T. Team