Tate director Sir Nicholas Serota tops this year’s Art Review Power 100 list, which presents a ranked list of what are claimed to be ‘the contemporary art world’s most powerful figures’.
Now in its 13th year, Serota has been in the list’s top ten since it was launched in 2002 but this is the first time he has taken the top spot. New York gallerist David Zwirner holds his position at number two, and Iwan Wirth of Hauser & Wirth is again at number three.
Last year’s most powerful international player, Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani – head of the Qatar Museums Authority – sinks to a still-quite-powerful-but-no-longer-anything-to-shout-about 13.
The list is loaded with international gallerists including Larry Gagosian (8), Monika Spruth and Philomene Magers (11), Jay Jopling (32), Marian Goodman (9), Lisson Gallery’s Nicholas and Alex Logsdail and Greg Hilty (29), Sadie Coles (41) and Modern Institute’s Toby Webster and Andrew Hamilton (57, described as ‘the magicians of the Glasgow miracle).
There’s also space for some big-hitting artists, although there are few surprises here. Entering the top ten is Marina Abramovic (5, up from last year’s 11), while Jeff Koons – helpfully described in the list as ‘Balloon Dog millionaire’ – sees his reputation inflated from 56 to seven.
Other artists in the list include: Cindy Sherman (10, up from 13), Ai Weiwei (15, down from 9), Gerhard Richter (16, down from 15), Isa Genzken (31, up from 35), Wolfgang Tillmans (36, up from 44), Pierre Huyghe (38, up from 45), Steve McQueen (39, down from 36), Ryan Trecartin (43, up from 64), and Tino Sehgal (66, down from 54).
Selected by a 26-member jury, other UK-based power listers include the artist Liam Gillick (50), Christie’s head of international post-war and contemporary art Brett Gorvy (53), artist Mark Leckey (86) and dropping one to number six, Serpentine Galleries’ directors Hans Ulrich Obrist and Julia Peyton-Jones.
