The untimely passing of curator Koyo Kouoh, the artistic director of the 2026 Venice Biennale, has been deeply felt throughout the art world for the past year. Now, artist Derrick Adams will pay tribute to Kouoh via a monumental installation in Venice this week.

A banner version of his collage Heavy is the head that wears the crown (2026) will be installed on the facade of the Palazzetto dello sport Giobatta Gianquinto, facing the Rio della Tana, near the Arsenale, one of the Biennale’s main venues. Done in his signature style, this newly realized work features a portrait of Kouoh, whose face and arms are rendered as different geometrical shapes; above her head is the word “JOY,” from which golden rays radiate.