Renowned Nigerian art curator, Okwui Enwezor, loses battle to cancer

Nigeria loses another industrious son as Okwui Enwezor, a renowned art curator, poet and educator, dies after a battle with cancer.

He was the artistic director of the Haus Der Kunst, a Germany-based non-collecting modern and contemporary art museum, from 2011 to 2018.

He was aged 55 years. His death was announced by the Haus Der Kunst on Friday.

Enwezor resigned from his position as the director the Haus der Kunst in June, citing health reasons. he later confirmed to the German magazine Der Spiegel, that he had been battling cancer for three years and had undergone different treatments.

Before his death, Enwezor was the only African-born curator to organise two prestigious exhibitions- the 2015 Venice Biennale and Documenta 11 in 2002.

The last show he curated at the Haus der Kunst opened on 8 March and featured a compilation of works done by Ghanaian sculptor, El Anatsui.

In a tribute on Twitter, the Venice Biennale praised the late Enwezor for his courageous contributions to art quoting the late curator.

“‘There are ways in which artworks speak that aren’t necessarily loud: they can whisper and still have great power.’ It is with deep sadness that we learn the heartbreaking news of the passing of Okwui Enwezor, art critic, poet, writer and brilliant curator of the #BiennaleArte2015,” the tweet reads.

“There are ways in which artworks speak that aren't necessarily loud: they can whisper and still have great power”
It is with deep sadness that we learn the heartbreaking news of the passing of Okwui Enwezor, art critic, poet, writer and brilliant curator of the #BiennaleArte2015 pic.twitter.com/k3YR6Q1j3E

- La Biennale di Venezia (@la_Biennale) March 15, 2019