VENICE — The 61st Venice Biennale is a somber affair, with protests and artist-led actions marking its opening. Despite these disruptions, the international exhibition 'In Minor Keys' continues to resonate, honoring the absent artistic director Koyo Kouoh through her legacy of listening.

Curated by Rasha Salti and Rory Tsapayi, the exhibit fills the main halls of the Arsenale and Giardini with installations that explore new forms of representation. Wangechi Mutu's work stands out among the 110 invited participants, while curatorial juxtapositions like Ebony G. Patterson’s peacock and Kambui Olujimi's watercolors create a symphony of unexpected beauty.

Banners bearing quotes from writers such as Toni Morrison and Ben Okri complement the art, performing an unexpected harmony that challenges us to listen more closely. The exhibition serves as a reminder that some tunes are meant only for artists themselves, now heard by the world.

Reflecting on Kouoh's absence, Salti remarks: 'It is not only a biennale because the artistic director is not physically present … it is a biennale we were left with her absence, looking for her presence.' This echoes throughout the exhibition, encouraging us to find the missing voices in the art.

Here is a first look at an exhibit that celebrates those tunes artists may have once sung only to themselves, and now sing for the world to hear.