The artistic director of the Serpentine Galleries, Hans Ulrich Obrist tops this year’s Power list 100 according to ArtReview. The tireless curator is famed for his work ethic and is known to work constantly, paying scant regard to his body’s demands for sleep. His Brutally Early Club, an open-to-all discussion, begins at the ungodly hour of 6.30 am. On top of this he and his partner claim to never cook—not even admitting to making a cup of coffee—so as not to waste time when they could be talking. 50 weekends a year he is away travelling on a nonstop quest to find new talent.
Power100 Top 10 2016
1. Hans Ulrich Obrist
2. Adam Szymczyk
3. Iwan & Manuela Wirth
4. David Zwirner
5. Nicholas Serota & Frances Morris
6. Larry Gagosian
7. Hito Steyerl
8. Adam D. Weinberg
9. Wolfgang Tillmans
10. Ai Weiwei
A surprise entry at number 7 in the Power List 100 is the German artist Hito Steyerl. The highest ranking artist on the list, her theories and writings on mass media have gained great traction in recent years. She has a PhD in philosophy, and her work focuses on the status of the image in the rapidly changing technological world.
The Polish curator Adam Szymczyk is also in the top ten of the Power List 100, and will be the artistic director of 2017’s documenta 14, the contemporary art show that happens once every 5 years in Kassel, Germany—although this year it will be taking place in Athens, Greece as well.
ArtReview is widely-regarded as the most accurate list of art world influencers and its rankings are always hotly discussed. Shock new entries in this years list are the Indian artists Raqs Media Collective in at number 86 and Francis Morris, the recently appointed Director of Tate Modern.
Accompanying this year’s edition is an article ridiculing the list itself entitled Power 100 – On the Couch. Using the format of a question and answer therapy session the Therapist asks about the “secret cabal of judges” who decide the list each year. ArtReview, who is on the couch, answers “We keep them anonymous to protect them and so that their bosses, collaborators or coworkers don’t fire or ostracise them upon learning that they themselves have not made the list.”
After further questions ArtReview goes on to admit that “The artworld has never been particularly good when it comes to openness and transparency.”
Other notable figures in the list include Jeff Koons at No. 30. Gerhard Richter at No. 42 and Liam Gillick in at No. 67.
By Katja Taylor — FAM Editorial
