The Most Influential People in Art
Observer’s Business of Art Power List spotlights the bold innovators steering today’s art world through shifting markets, new collector dynamics and cultural reinvention. From market disruptors to institution builders, these visionaries are redefining influence, expanding access and setting the course for art’s global future.
This year has been a wild ride for the art world, with pandemic-fueled hype fizzling out and a hard market plunge reminding everyone that even the glitziest markets are subject to gravity. With secondary market sales down 29 percent from last year, the once-thriving ultra-contemporary sector has seen a sharp 39 percent decline, according to an Artnet and Morgan Stanley Intelligence Report covering key art hubs from New York to Hong Kong. It’s been a reality check: headline-generating auction records and splashy debuts are scarcer as the art world clings to safer bets, focusing on museum-quality consignments and the ever-iconic works of old.
Gone are the recent years’ major consignments like the Peggy and David Rockefeller, Paul G. Allen and Macklowe collections that once electrified the auction floor. Today’s sporadic marquee consignment events are fueled by an ongoing global wealth transfer, where assets like art are passed down with fanfare. Sure, New York is still the undisputed art capital, but it’s got some serious competition with Hong Kong’s star on the rise, as new wealth and cultural vigor in South Asia create fertile ground for its growth. As the head of Sotheby's Modern Art in Asia, Felix Kwok told Observer, “The entirety of Asia is going through a transformation in terms of what art means to people and localities.” He isn’t kidding—Hong Kong’s value for masterpieces quintupling from $90.6 million in 2013 is evidence of that, with contemporary and ultra-contemporary works reaching $269.4 million and $206.1 million recently. Whether all this private money in the arts will lead to greater independence from government influence—or deliver the creative freedom artists crave—remains in the air.
Meanwhile, Paris has swaggered back onto the cultural stage, aided by Brexit and pandemic dynamics. With Art Basel firmly in residence, the city enjoyed a cool $1 billion in art sales between 2021-2022 before dipping to $864 million in 2023. Yet Paris still holds a 30 percent increase from 2013—a remarkable rise, in stark contrast to London’s struggles, where sales plummeted from $473.6 million in 2014 to a modest $216 million in 2023. For some, this is classic British restraint; for others, it’s evidence that Paris has recaptured its long-lost art capital crown.
Galleries, too, have been forced to pivot. Pandemic-era PDF sales no longer fly in 2024—today’s collectors want personal touchpoints, so galleries are back to wooing buyers and institutions in person. It’s not a scene for pandemic-era speculators, many of whom have now quietly exited, citing “personal reasons” as they slip away from the spotlight. In their place are discerning collectors focused on artists with established track records and institutional backing to build long-term careers.
Art fairs worldwide continue to grow—and they’re big on spectacle. No longer just trading floors for art, today’s fairs cater to crowds seeking “experiences” over acquisitions, aiming to win over audiences who crave more than a sales pitch. Amid these shifting priorities, speculators who once treated art like stocks have exited, leaving behind serious collectors who still see value in a canvas rather than a quick return.
Institutions, meanwhile, are deep in post-Covid introspection, grappling with accessibility, ownership and existential challenges in keeping museum doors open. Some, like New York’s Rubin Museum, have simply closed their physical spaces, while others are charging forward with innovative strategies to re-envision what museums can be in 2024. Atlanta’s High Museum of Art has taken a bold approach, adding works by women, LGBTQ and BIPOC artists, cutting admission prices, and expanding with family-friendly spaces. The Andy Warhol Museum’s Pop District initiative diversifies its revenue like never before. The Denver Art Museum re-hung its Indigenous collections through close collaboration with Native communities, proving that art spaces need not just to diversify but to connect.
Philanthropy is still casting for the next big figure (a Komal Shah type) to lead with both dollars and vision. In the meantime, the art market is cautiously adapting to these changes. Major players are watching closely as new buyers emerge from younger generations and new regions, testing the waters to see how these audiences will engage with art once life returns to its usual rhythm. According to those in the know, the market readjustment was inevitable—a necessary shake-up after the pandemic’s frenzy. And now, as the players below show, the game changers and market leaders are the ones who will shape the art world’s next chapter.
Álvaro Almería, or “theartmarketguy” to his more than 217,000 Instagram disciples and countless newsletter subscribers, has become an art market oracle for young collectors and enthusiasts. His weekly newsletter, Frame and Flame, cuts through the industry haze with the top five sales of the week, exclusive collector interviews and a database of 500+ top-selling artworks updated monthly. Almería isn’t just tallying numbers; he’s educating the masses, exposing the gritty mechanics behind the art market’s shine—because, as he recently reminded us in a post, without the unsung registrars and art handlers, “forget the glitz and glamor.” Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani is reshaping the cultural map with Qatar’s checkbook in hand and an estimated billion-dollar budget at her disposal. Dubbed the “undisputed queen of the art world” by Forbes a decade ago, Sheikha Al Mayassa has since, as chairperson, transformed Qatar Museums into a powerhouse, acquiring masterpieces by Cézanne and Rothko while making Doha a gallery unto itself with Richard Serra’s colossal installations and Damien Hirst’s fourteen bronze babies. Most recently, she helped bring Village of the Sun, a monumental public artwork by Rashid Johnson, to Doha International Airport. Cecilia Alemani has taken the art world by the collar and yanked it into bold new realms. As the Donald R. Mullen, Jr. Director & Chief Curator of High Line Art since 2011, she’s transformed Manhattan’s park in the sky into a restless gallery of the unexpected. Her vision for public art? Far from “a bronze sculpture that magically lands on a corporate plaza,” as she put it to Observer earlier this year, Alemani’s installations are more ambush than exhibit. Projects like Matty Davis’ “Die No Die” performance catch the city off guard, making art not just something to see but something to reckon with. And the public sphere is just her starting block—Alemani thrives on platforms that force art out of tidy categories and into the dialogue of the moment. Leila A. Amineddoleh wields her expertise like a scalpel in art world cases that unravel historical injustices and set legal precedents that impact artists, collectors, museums, galleries and cultural nonprofits. As the founding partner of Amineddoleh & Associates LLC, she’s earned a reputation for change-making by handling high-stakes cases concerning everything from Nazi-looted art restitution to multimillion-dollar art-backed loans. Her three-year streak of recognition in the Chambers High Net Worth Guide says it all: Amineddoleh is a trusted force for collectors, advisors, museums and other institutions that need an expert to navigate the thorny legal landscape of cultural heritage and intellectual property. At only 40, Sarah Arison is reshaping arts institutions in big ways through both her board membership and her philanthropy. Now the youngest board president in MoMA’s history, Arison has been a fixture at the museum since 2017, where she’s used her influence to strengthen ties between MoMA and MoMA PS1, bridging the gap between two iconic spaces. As president of the Arison Arts Foundation, the grant-making powerhouse founded by her grandparents, Arison has proven her commitment to sustaining the arts in an uncertain post-pandemic climate by funneling much-needed funding toward emerging artists and the institutions that support them. Nicholas Baume has spent fourteen years crafting New York City’s streets into his own personal gallery, subtly turning urban sprawl into an open-air museum while most are busy staring at their screens. Since taking the helm as executive and artistic director of Public Art Fund in 2009, Baume has charged through the conventions of public art, injecting it straight into New Yorkers’ daily grind, from the tourist trails of Bryant Park to the surf-washed shores of Rockaway Beach. “Our shared public spaces have never felt more precious or more important,” he tells Observer, adding that “public art is one of the most powerful ways to create and express that spirit of place and to show that creative expression belongs to all of us.” Evan Beard is the art market’s unlikely disruptor, pulling a financial sleight of hand that’s part Wall Street, part Upper East Side salon. Beard has helped transform art into a serious financial asset, breaking with the age-old notion that collecting is about aesthetics, not ROI. His theory? Today’s buyers, who are as likely to hail from hedge funds and private equity as from museum benefactors’ circles, are more interested in returns than romance. Hence the rise of outfits like Masterworks—a petri dish for Beard’s belief that art and finance belong together, whether the old guard likes it or not. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s influence on the art world is less about ego and more about an empire of arts philanthropy that spans continents, climate activism and community empowerment. Through Bloomberg Philanthropies, he has funneled millions into over 600 cultural organizations globally, with a particular focus on helping small and mid-sized nonprofits stand on their own two feet—a rarity in a world that can overlook those orgs without a gala-sized budget. His $130 million donation to complete the Perelman Arts Center helped revitalize one of New York City’s key cultural hubs—a move Bloomberg shrugged off with a casual, “I can afford it.” Lee Cavaliere has made it his mission to shake up the art world by tearing down barriers and creating platforms for those traditionally overlooked. As the artistic director of VOLTA Art Fairs, Cavaliere (who tells Observer the New York and Basel fairs have a “unique spirit of connectivity for collectors”) has introduced initiatives in the former that push beyond contemporary art’s commercial roots—think fellowship programs that subsidize booths for smaller galleries from faraway places like Hong Kong, Beirut and Mexico and the Ukrainian Pavilion at VOLTA New York in partnership with Razom for Ukraine that gave conflict-affected artists an international stage. Next year marks the fair’s 20th anniversary in Basel. Cavaliere tells Observer he’s “delighted to be leading its expansion in our home city, focusing on growth whilst preserving VOLTA’s unique spirit of connectivity for collectors.” Sophia Cohen is a name you’re likely to keep hearing—not just for her staggering collection but for how she wields it. As the Co-Chair of the Guggenheim’s Young Collectors Council, she’s injecting fresh blood into the museum scene, luring Gen Z and Millennial wallets toward the thrill of curator-led tours and exclusive artist access. It’s a sly recruiting maneuver that keeps the Guggenheim stocked with emerging art while building a new crop of collectors with taste. Elizabeth Dee isn’t just preserving New York’s gallery history—she’s reviving it with flair. Dee digs into the archives of once-thriving, now-defunct spaces through her New York Gallery History Project, pulling exhibition records and stories from the city’s golden years. Her debut exhibition, dedicated to Jay Gorney Modern Art and its influential East Village days, reminds us that Dee’s ambitions aren’t limited to selling art; she’s documenting its impact. Clément Delépine is the man turning Art Basel Paris into a full-fledged cultural event both refined and rebellious that the city can’t ignore. As director, he’s reimagining the art fair with an audacity that feels fresh and steeped in history. For 2024, Delépine pulled together 195 galleries from 42 countries, making space for 40 new players on the global scene, including heavyweights like Goodman Gallery and Labor. The fair’s new Premise sector, spotlighting pre-1900 artworks and unconventional projects, is a perfect nod to Delépine’s knack for curating across periods. It’s classic Delépine—an elegant mingling of history and the avant-garde, designed to challenge and intrigue in equal measure. Laurence des Cars didn’t break through the glass ceiling at the Louvre—she vaulted over it with a style both unapologetically ambitious and calculated. As the first woman to lead the world’s most visited museum, des Cars has wasted no time making her mark. Forget simply extending hours; she’s creating a Louvre that pulses with fresh energy, drawing in younger audiences and weaving in contemporary artists to reframe the narrative. “We need to understand in a much better way our public, to understand what they are expecting or not expecting from a museum,” des Cars told Observer in 2023. Julian Ehrlich operates in Christie’s rarefied orbit with a keen eye for irony and a nose for talent the art world often overlooks until he drags it into the spotlight. As Assistant Vice President and Specialist at the auction giant, Ehrlich has stoked buyer enthusiasm in four rounds of Christie’s Post-War to Present sale, balancing the reverence demanded by 20th-century icons like Frank Stella and Alexander Calder with a refreshing irreverence for the status quo. After being appointed director of Art Basel Miami Beach in 2023, Bridget Finn set her sights on dismantling the New York-LA stronghold by infusing the Florida fair with a fresh, inclusive energy. “We are categorically focused on platforming excellence and making sure we deliver a cultural experience that is unequaled the world over,” Finn tells Observer. Looking ahead, she says, Art Basel Miami Beach is “firmly committed” to supporting the art ecosystem at all levels of the market. Johanna Flaum knows how to throw a spectacle that keeps the art market hooked and her rivals on their toes. As Vice Chairman of 20th and 21st Century Art at Christie’s, Flaum has orchestrated sales that make headlines and spark bidding wars, with her savvy eye overseeing the legendary Post-War and Contemporary sales in New York. Katherine Fleming runs the art world’s wealthiest fortress—the J. Paul Getty Trust—and she’s steering it with the steady, unbending resolve of someone who knows she’s holding the reins of an $8.6 billion endowment. As the Getty’s first female CEO, Fleming is rethinking the institution’s very DNA, driving priorities that range from digitizing the archives to making the Getty’s vast resources accessible to the public in ways that would make old-school curators blink. “We have to make that place as welcoming as possible to as many people as possible,” Fleming told Observer in an interview earlier this year. TL;DR: She’s democratizing the art market with the firepower of a billionaire’s bankroll. Glenn Fuhrman knows how to wield influence in the art world he’s doing it with a panache that makes even seasoned insiders take notice. As the founder of the FLAG Art Foundation, he’s crafted a nonprofit that sidesteps the pretentious air of many institutions, serving up four to six exhibitions annually that highlight a range of artists from the obscure to the established. There aren’t many organizations willing to hold galleries and art fairs, let alone collectors, environmentally accountable, but the Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC) has become a formidable force in an art world that typically treats climate concerns as an afterthought. With a membership of over 1,500 cultural institutions, galleries, artists, collectives and art businesses, GCC is shaking up the industry by shedding light on its carbon footprint. Their Carbon Reporting Tool, a first-of-its-kind for the art market, allows museums, fairs and the like to track emissions, and it has adherents in major players like Hauser & Wirth and David Zwirner, which have pledged to reduce emissions by 50 percent by 2030. Larry Gagosian, the godfather of the blue-chip art world, transformed himself from a guy selling posters in 1970s Los Angeles to an art-world emperor with 19 galleries across the globe and a $1 billion valuation. His empire sprawls across continents with the square footage to rival major museums—though his roster, packed with artists and estates including Koons, Hirst and Bacon, might suggest he’s already got the best of them beat. Gagosian’s gravitational pull has pulled the likes of Nan Goldin away from Marian Goodman, underscoring his unique ability to influence both primary and secondary markets. More than just riding the market’s waves, Gagosian practically pulls the current tide: his unapologetic push toward commercialization has forced the art world to adapt or get left behind, making his gallery less an institution than an ecosystem. Arturo Galansino, the Italian art historian-turned-director-general of Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, has spent nearly a decade proving that Florence’s ancient walls can accommodate modern art’s daring edge. Since 2015, he’s positioned the Palazzo as a playground where Anish Kapoor’s and Ai Weiwei’s visions can rub shoulders with Donatello’s Renaissance masterpieces. Galansino’s curatorial vision straddles eras, crafting exhibitions that are as likely to feature the grandeur of Old Masters as they are the conceptual weight of artists like Marina Abramovic and Olafur Eliasson. Theaster Gates is one of those rare art world figures who doesn’t just talk about transformation—he builds change, brick by brick. With the recent launch of the Stony Island Arts Bank Pavilion, Gates has turned Chicago’s South Side into an art sanctuary that gives Black creativity a permanent address. His new space is more than a gallery; it’s a cultural arsenal with rotating exhibitions, public programs and collaborations that carve out room for local artists in a market that often forgets them. Thelma Golden has never been one for the sidelines. Her daring selections for the 1993 Whitney Biennial shook the art world, setting her up for a role at the Studio Museum in Harlem long before anyone cared to make a fuss about Black-led institutions. Back then, the Studio Museum stood as the country’s only accredited museum of African American art—a fact Golden didn’t just accept but turned into her rallying cry. Now, she’s overseeing a $175 million reinvention that’s less a renovation than a rebirth, designed to make Harlem not just a landmark but a true powerhouse. As LACMA’s ringmaster, Michael Govan is reshaping one of Los Angeles’ most iconic institutions with a vision that prompted the Los Angeles Times to call him the “Kingpin of L.A.’s global arts ambition.” With the museum’s near-complete $750 million campus renovation—a single-story sprawl designed by Peter Zumthor that will literally bridge Wilshire Boulevard and double the available exhibition space—Govan is redrawing the city’s cultural map. The new structure opening in 2026 (“one of the largest new museum buildings in the nation,” Govan tells Observer) promises to blur the boundaries between art and urban sprawl, ensuring LACMA stands as both a destination and a spectacle, leaving Angelenos to wonder if they’re walking into a museum or a maze. Never content with simply curating exhibits at the Whitney Museum, Marcela Guerrero is recharting the art world’s compass to make room for voices that have been glaringly absent. With a cool $5 million endowment from the Andrew W. Mellon and Ford Foundations, Guerrero—the first curator at the Whitney focused squarely on Latinx artists—launched the institution’s Latinx Art Initiative, ensuring Latinx art has a permanent place in the museum’s future. This isn’t a token gesture; it’s a structural shake-up setting the standard for how institutions should approach inclusion—less lip service, more dollars. Philip Hoffman plays the art market like a seasoned Wall Street shark, turning collecting into a game where the stakes are high and the payoffs even higher. In 2001, when he launched the first asset-backed art investment fund with The Fine Art Group, the art establishment thought he’d lost the plot. “Many collectors, including my initial backers, thought art was merely a cultural asset, not a financial one,” Hoffman told Observer this year. Two decades later, the tables have turned; Hoffman’s shown his skeptics that art can be as lucrative—and cutthroat—as any blue-chip stock. The art world’s grande dame of audacious philanthropy, Swiss billionaire Maja Hoffmann is building an empire of cultural hubs with a strategy as vast as it is unapologetically bold. Her LUMA Foundation, especially the sprawling $500 million LUMA Arles campus with its stacked and twisted Frank Gehry-designed Tower, has helped turn the sleepy town of Arles into a contemporary cultural hotspot, where exhibitions of works by heavyweights like Carrie Mae Weems and Theaster Gates turn art into dialogue and dialogue into spectacle. Candice Hopkins is shaking up the art world with a force that’s long overdue. As curator of the 2023 Armory Show’s Focus section, she didn’t pander to the market’s appetite for familiar faces. Instead, Hopkins, a member of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation, pulled together a lineup of Indigenous powerhouses like Jeffrey Gibson, Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun and Marie Watt, centering materials—textiles and the unapologetically ephemeral—that thumb their noses at the commodified art scene. Hopkins, who’s twice curated the Toronto Biennial and was part of the team at the Canadian Pavilion for the 58th Venice Biennale, has a habit of coaxing the establishment into a confrontation with contemporary Native practices that they’d rather sidestep. In the labyrinthine, high-stakes game of the global art market, Noah Horowitz has ascended to a lofty plane of influence as CEO of Art Basel, where he’s been busy shifting the spotlight—and the money—to Paris, a move that feels both audacious and inevitable in post-Brexit Europe. Art Basel Paris, launched under his steady gaze in 2022, tapped into that city’s newfound gravitational pull, and his deft maneuvering has ensured that Art Basel has a say in where Europe’s art scene is headed. Bettina Huang, the digital innovator and co-founder of Platform, has turned art collecting into something less like a high-society scramble and more like a savvy shopper’s game. Launched in 2021 in partnership with dealer David Zwirner, Platform is Huang’s answer to the art world’s antiquated ways—one part online marketplace, one part curated treasure hunt. Her vision is refreshingly simple: make it easy for new collectors to get their hands on contemporary works without wading through the labyrinth of gallery intimidation and elite-oriented auction rooms. In a world that trades on exclusivity, Huang has built a marketplace that brings art down to earth and makes it accessible enough to reel in a generation of collectors who grew up shopping online. The art marketplace recently announced the launch of the Chelsea Art Fair, a one-day event at New York City’s Chelsea Hotel that will spotlight five of the country’s most exciting contemporary galleries. Dakis Joannou is the art world’s pied piper of Hydra, turning this sleepy Greek island into an unmissable post-Basel retreat where the art elite swap stuffy galleries for a converted slaughterhouse. Since 2009, Joannou’s DESTE Project Space Slaughterhouse has hosted annual summer exhibitions with equal parts pilgrimage and party, drawing in a well-heeled crowd who come for the art and stay for the irony-laden atmosphere. When George Condo or Jeff Koons appear on the guest list, the crowd gets thicker—and so does the sense that you’re in on something only the art world’s inner circle would understand. Frédéric Jousset is that rarest of art world creatures: a collector on a mission to democratize culture without a whiff of irony. In 2024, he launched ARTEXPLORER, the world’s first museum catamaran—a vessel of highbrow enlightenment skimming across the Mediterranean like a floating Louvre for the masses. For two years, as part of the Art Explora Festival, this maritime museum will dock at more than 15 coastal towns, bringing art to the very edge of people’s doorsteps. With tens of thousands of visitors in tow and the backing of the E.U., UNESCO and the Louvre, Jousset’s catamaran has a clear message: if you can’t get to the art, the art will come to you, no museum ticket required. Tony Karman isn’t just the face behind EXPO CHICAGO; he’s its ringmaster, corralling the art world’s big names and fresh faces with a mix of steely pragmatism and a touch of theatrical flair. Since founding the fair in 2012, Karman has maneuvered it from local curiosity to global heavyweight, all while keeping his eyes on the city’s art legacy. For the 2023 edition, he pulled in 170 galleries from 36 countries, showcasing over 2,000 works—a veritable United Nations of contemporary art. If there was a gap in the market, Karman found it and built himself a platform broad enough to fit Chicago and half the art world with it. At 97, Alex Katz is the kind of artist who defies both age and trend, a figurative painter who’s finally getting the hero treatment he’s always claimed not to care about. Known for his large, vibrantly hued but strikingly minimalist works, Katz has been at this for over 70 years, but it’s only in the past decade or so that the art world seems to have caught up with him. This year, he pocketed a National Medal of Arts at a White House ceremony, a late-in-the-game accolade for someone who’s spent decades treating fame as an afterthought. Yet Katz is hardly the quiet type, and his works’ sheer size alone—those vast fields of color, those larger-than-life faces—give him a presence that’s impossible to ignore. Elie Khouri has taken art collecting to an extreme that makes your average aficionado look like they’re shopping at a flea market. Born in Lebanon and now a Dubai fixture, Khouri likes to call his art habit an “addiction”—a polite way of framing his yearly haul of 30 artworks as something beyond mere luxury consumption. He began collecting in the late 2000s, and his eye lands as easily on household names like Rashid Johnson and Kehinde Wiley as it does on the newest darlings of the global art world. Khouri’s collection is a deliberate nod to his own multicultural experience, wrapped up in themes of globalization, diaspora and identity—though one suspects his true thrill lies in staying a step ahead of the art market’s next obsession. Dustyn Kim’s ascent to President of Artsy in 2024 marked the first time a woman has been at the helm of the online juggernaut, a platform that caters to both seasoned art collectors and the young, cash-strapped buyer hoping to grab a starter piece. In fact, taking the intimidation factor out of art collecting is something that moves Kim, who tells Observer that Artsy is on the verge of introducing new products and tools designed to “guide newer collectors through their journeys, from discovering and refining their tastes to making that first, second or third purchase.” Felix Kwok has become Sotheby’s ace in Asia, making waves that crash far beyond the gallery walls. After over a decade at the auction house, Kwok’s name has practically become shorthand for breaking records: the highest price ever achieved for Picasso in Asia, the top spots for Vietnamese art and even an NFT collaboration with Wong Kar Wai that introduced the world’s first Asian film NFT auction. Yet Kwok isn’t content to simply shatter records; he’s here to reshape the whole landscape, promoting a high-stakes blend of Chinese and Western masters with the zeal of someone who knows that prestige and price tags are hardly mutually exclusive. His philosophy? High art should be backed by “solid academic research,” he tells Observer, and, as he puts it, “creative curation”—a winning line that’s a lot more charming than ‘big money.’ Brooke Lampley’s leap from Sotheby’s global chair to senior director at Gagosian might just be the art world’s most calculated power play. With two decades of auction experience under her belt, Lampley has the kind of Rolodex that reads like the guest list of a billionaire’s cocktail party—think Ken Griffin, Stephen Schwarzman and other wallet-wielding titans of industry. She reportedly brought along notable long-time clients like these with her in the transition, proving she has what it takes to bring the skills that made her a star of the auction block to the gallery world. Dan Law, associate director of The Andy Warhol Museum and mastermind of the Pop District, is the rare museum executive who sees opportunity in a city that isn’t on the art world’s radar. Law’s Pop District is a $65 million gambit to revamp six blocks of Pittsburgh’s North Shore into a slick art playground that looks like it was dreamed up by Warhol himself in an alternate universe where he hadn’t been tempted away by New York City’s siren song. It boasts a towering KAWS statue as its centerpiece—a gesture that teeters between highbrow and kitsch, as any homage to Warhol should. But Law’s ambitions don’t end at installing more public art in this otherwise commercial section of Pittsburgh. “The Warhol is living up to its namesake by pushing boundaries and challenging conventions of traditional art institutions,” he tells Observer. Todd Levin isn’t here to play nice or pander to the glossed-up tastes of the art market’s elite. As the head of Levin Art Group for close to 40 years, the art market’s quiet powerbroker approaches acquisitions with an exacting eye, sizing up each piece with the cool discernment of a seasoned appraiser who sees value and potential where others see only price tags. With a staggering portfolio of over 20,000 artwork reviews and $1 billion in acquisitions, Levin’s approach isn’t about scoring flashy headlines—it’s about delivering sound, unflinching judgment that turns blue-chip and emerging pieces into trophies for private and public collections alike. From Baldessari to Basquiat, Monet to Munch, Levin’s placements read like a who’s who of art history. Miguel A. López has made a career of curating art with a sharp, unapologetic edge, putting himself on the map as the art world’s answer to a social provocateur. As co-curator of the 2024 Toronto Biennial, he’s driven by six “key directives”—think precarious meets polyphony—a vocabulary borrowed from Cecilia Vicuña and as lofty as it is elusive. In a conversation with Observer earlier this year, López explained that the title Precarious Joys “came from a list of concepts that Dominique [Fontaine] and I had put together, but also from our process of listening and learning directly from the artists.” For López, a Biennial isn’t a series of exhibits; it’s a “fugitive condition” of continual flux—a state as self-assuredly rebellious as López himself. Justine Ludwig has taken the reins at Creative Time with a determination to make public art a catalyst for urgent societal conversations. Since joining as executive director in 2018, Ludwig has steered the organization toward projects that don’t just decorate public spaces—they challenge, provoke and engage with the public directly. Speaking to Observer earlier this year, she reflected on Creative Time’s legacy: “Since its conception in the ‘70s, the organization always wanted to be rooted in the issues and needs of the now.” Under her leadership, that means tackling topics like environmental justice, equity and globalization, with recent projects such as Cosmologyscape by Kite and Alisha B. Wormsley and Jenny Holzer’s Vigil at Rockefeller Center drawing crowds while refusing to soften their messages. With provocation and curiosity as her primary tools, Zoe Lukov is cutting straight to the heart of contemporary culture. Her latest curatorial endeavor, “YES, CHEF” at Water Street Projects, isn’t just about food; it’s a cheeky critique of the power dynamics simmering beneath our culinary obsessions. “The relation between food and art is nothing new,” she told Observer earlier this year, “and many artists explore food in their practices, in various ways.” But for Lukov, this isn’t about edible aesthetics. Her exhibition, featuring artists like Nari Ward, Lucia Hierro and Chloe Wise, digs into the military origins of the phrase “Yes, Chef” and how that language has permeated our cultural vocabulary. “The cheeky usage of the expression in common parlance speaks volumes about our relationship to power, domination and violence,” she said, “particularly how those intersect with desire, consumption and nourishment.” Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, former head of online fashion empire Zozotown, has transformed his penchant for art into a series of headline-grabbing moves that have left the art world astonished and bemused. Maezawa’s foray into the art market began with a bang in 2016 when he spent approximately $98 million over two days at Christie's and Sotheby’s, acquiring works by Bruce Nauman, Jeff Koons and Alexander Calder, among others. Then there was the record-breaking $110.5 million purchase of a Basquiat in 2017, which set a new auction high for the artist. In a move both generous and self-aggrandizing, Maezawa announced plans to display these treasures at a future museum funded by his philanthropic arts organization, the Contemporary Art Foundation. Christine Messineo isn’t here to direct an art fair; she’s orchestrating a spectacle that’s part civic lesson, part high-stakes gallery game. Appointed in 2021 to helm both Frieze Los Angeles and Frieze New York, Messineo has managed to carve a niche in the already crowded art fair circuit, where competition for attention is as fierce as any auction. As Frieze’s Director of Americas, she supported the acquisition of the Armory Show and Expo Chicago, keeping them under Frieze’s expanding umbrella but retaining their individual operations. It’s a move that screams market dominance with just enough discretion to look collaborative. Catherine Morris isn’t just curating feminist art—she’s wielding it like a tool to pry open the art world’s stubborn blind spots. As the senior curator for the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum, Morris has made it her mission to showcase voices that mainstream institutions have overlooked. Her approach to curating reads like a strategic battle plan, positioning figures such as Lorraine O’Grady front and center. Exhibitions like the current Elizabeth Catlett retrospective, “A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies,” aren’t polite gestures; they’re confrontations with a system that’s all too comfortable with its own historical lapses. “We live in a moment in which curators are reframing the present and the past to offer legacies that support a more complex and inclusive future,” Morris tells Observer. “My job offers me the opportunity to think expansively about how the politics of gender equity have shaped cultural history—all cultural history.” Bernardo Mosqueira has positioned himself as the art world’s cultural bridge builder, all the while playing a careful balancing act between global influence and regional roots. In his crusade for the Global South, Mosqueira has made it his mission to edge artists from Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia onto the hallowed platforms of Western institutions—a move equal parts visionary and overdue. As chief curator at the Institute for Studies on Latin American Art (ISLAA), he’s refashioned narratives around Latin American art with exhibitions like “Eros Rising” and “Wynnie Mynerva: The Original Riot,” skillfully elevating overlooked artists and their stories while nudging the elite art establishment to, perhaps begrudgingly, expand its scope. Anwarii Musa isn’t your typical curator; he’s the consummate insider with a rebel’s playbook, a figure whose every move suggests he’s got a bone to pick with the art world’s painfully slow evolution. For starters, his work with emerging artists—particularly those from underrepresented communities—isn’t just career development; it’s a quiet form of protest. Musa’s connections, carefully cultivated over more than a decade, have become something of a lifeline for the talent he nurtures, providing them with inroads toward opportunities that matter. There’s also the fact that this New York tastemaker, who counts among his clients former NFL player Malcolm Jenkins, recently kicked off a working partnership with The Fine Art Group. Megan E. Noh is the art world’s answer to a scalpel—precise, controlled and unflinching. As a partner and co-chair of Pryor Cashman’s Art Law Group and NFT Practice, Noh has spent nearly two decades untangling the ego-laden knots of art market disputes, positioning herself as the go-to for collectors with portfolios that could buy small islands and artists eager to keep a semblance of market control. She’s taken her turn on both sides of art transactions, lending her a level of courtroom poise tailor-made for high-stakes art scuffles. French architect Jean Nouvel is the art world’s provocateur-in-chief, building temples that challenge—and sometimes taunt—the notion of what a museum should be. For Nouvel, designing Fondation Cartier’s new digs in Paris was less a renovation than a reimagining. He’s turning the Place du Palais-Royal space into a playground of mobile platforms where artists can defy gravity or convention—or both. It’s the kind of architectural boldness that leaves more conservative souls clutching their pearls. Hans Ulrich Obrist has cemented his role as the art world’s most forward-thinking curator, using his platform at London’s Serpentine Galleries to push boundaries on everything from A.I. to ecology. Declaring 2024 the “Year of A.I.,” Obrist is harnessing the gallery’s Arts Technologies department to probe how artificial intelligence can serve the public good. Through the Future Art Ecosystems: Art x Public A.I. report, Obrist sets a precedent, positioning artists and cultural organizations as critical players in shaping A.I.’s impact on society. Marc Payot has been instrumental in positioning Hauser & Wirth as a powerhouse in the global art market, using strategy and foresight to expand the gallery’s influence from Paris to New York. By overseeing the new Paris location near the Champs-Élysées, Payot capitalized on Paris’ emerging status as a contemporary art capital, anchoring Hauser & Wirth close to Art Basel Paris and strengthening the gallery’s grip on the European art market in the post-Brexit era. Patricia Phelps de Cisneros has long been on a mission to elevate Latin American art in the global arena, and her recent initiatives prove she’s not slowing down. A landmark donation to MoMA, which led to last year’s “Chosen Memories” exhibition, brought Latin American modernism and contemporary narratives to one of the world’s most influential art institutions, showcasing artists exploring collective and personal memory and ensuring these voices are heard on an international stage. Billionaire François Pinault, known to most as the founder of the luxury group Kering, has used his 10,000-work Pinault Collection and the Bourse de Commerce in Paris (the Parisian exhibition site of the collection) to redefine what a private museum can achieve, turning it into a powerhouse for cultural, social and environmental discourse. By focusing on artists creating work that addresses race, identity and social justice—talent like Kerry James Marshall and David Hammons—Pinault has brought voices that challenge societal norms to the forefront of the French art scene. Abby Pucker is reshaping Chicago’s arts ecosystem one cultural happening at a time. But her true impact extends beyond engagement into cultural collaboration, attracting not only art lovers’ attention but also serious investments from those who are banking on the city becoming the next hot U.S. art hub. Through her cultural agency Gertie (which also bills itself as a “discovery and engagement platform”), she is championing Chicago as a serious cultural destination and, in the process, creating an actionable blueprint for cities looking to become cultural hubs. Mitchell and Emily Rales have redefined what it means to build a private museum, establishing Glenstone in Potomac, Maryland, as one of the art world’s most rigorously curated—and financially formidable—institutions. Their $1.9 billion donation to the Glenstone Foundation in 2023 set a new bar for private endowments, securing the museum’s operations, acquisitions and expansions well into the future. With this move, the Raleses have effectively given Glenstone the financial stability to rival public giants like the Getty. Magnus Renfrew has been instrumental in pushing Asia into the global art spotlight, deftly building a network of fairs that makes the region impossible to ignore. Under his leadership, ART SG (which he co-founded) has positioned Singapore as a formidable art hub, drawing over 45,000 visitors and around 115 galleries from 33 countries in its latest edition and proving that Southeast Asia is more than ready to compete with the traditional art capitals. Artforum editor-in-chief Tina Rivers Ryan has positioned herself as a formidable force in advancing digital art from tech curiosity to a serious, critically engaged field within contemporary art. Named one of Artnet’s “Innovators,” she’s known for infusing blockchain and Web3 projects with historical depth, giving the digital art space the kind of nuanced discourse usually reserved for more traditional media. Her appointment at Artforum marks a new chapter for the publication—one that will likely include more (and more incisive) discussions about digital art, making an even more compelling case for the medium’s relevance in contemporary practices. Annabelle Selldorf is the architect the art world didn’t know it needed: one who can make a museum look both storied and solvent, bridging centuries with minimalist flair. Known for revitalizing cultural landmarks without smothering their character, she’s the quiet power player behind some of the most ambitious museum renovations of our time, tackling icons from New York to London as if she’s merely spring-cleaning. At the Frick Collection, her redesign has taken a building entrenched in “outdated charm” and turned it into a visitor-centered space with the kind of upgrades you’d expect from someone aiming to dust off history itself. In April 2025, the Frick will unveil its new 220-seat auditorium and reimagined galleries, courtesy of Selldorf’s philosophy that museums should, after all, be inviting. Alain Servais has carved out a reputation as a vocal critic and ethical compass in a market often more dazzled by dollars than integrity. Dubbed “Belgium’s most outspoken art connoisseur” by Artnet News, Servais isn’t afraid to call out mega-galleries for their brand-driven agendas or challenge collectors chasing instant returns. A former investment banker, he sees the industry’s obsession with big names as a threat to true creativity, likening some of today’s largest galleries to luxury brands that sideline emerging talent in favor of safe, profitable bets. Yet Servais’ influence extends beyond critique; he is deeply committed to fostering what he calls “a balanced, transparent and beneficial relationship” between collectors, galleries and institutions. Komal Shah has made it her mission to rewrite the narrative for women in the art world, championing female artists through a combination of targeted philanthropy and a discerning eye for monumental works. Her Shah Garg Women Artists Research Fund at BAMPFA, which launched alongside the traveling “Making Their Mark” show—now at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive; the exhibition’s museum debut—will fund public programs, publications and exhibitions featuring women artists in a direct challenge to art history’s gender imbalance. “We are really excited to share this with audiences in the Bay Area and beyond,” Shah tells Observer, adding that the tour will soon go national, with stops at the National Museum of Women in the Arts and the Kemper Art Museum, among others. By supporting research and curated programs focused on women artists, she isn’t just collecting art—she’s reshaping how it’s remembered. “I want to continue finding new and meaningful ways to amplify the voices of women artists,” she says. In the labyrinth of international art fairs, Angelle Siyang-Le stands out not merely as a gatekeeper but as a sharp-eyed architect, chiseling away at the stodgy tradition that often plagues high-brow art circles. Since taking the helm at Art Basel Hong Kong in 2022, she’s steered the fair toward a future that actually acknowledges, rather than ignores, the new class of buyers—the type who’d rather post their purchases on Instagram than stuff them in a private collection. Her shrewd expansion of the “Discoveries” section is no sentimental nod to young artists but a clever ploy to reel in a digital-savvy crowd who knows their NFTs from A.I.-generated pieces. There’s nothing romantic about it; she’s simply giving them the stage because, well, the money’s there, and Siyang-Le knows it. During his tenure as global director, Marc Spiegler transformed Art Basel into a global powerhouse, adding fairs in Hong Kong and Paris, growing its team fivefold and bringing James Murdoch on as a strategic investor. This international expansion was both praised and criticized, with Art Cologne’s director calling it corporate colonialism—a testament to Spiegler’s ability to stir up the market. Under his leadership, Art Basel as an organization didn’t just grow in size; it became a major driver of how capital moves in the art market. Rand Suffolk has redefined what a museum can be, transforming Atlanta’s High Museum of Art into a more culturally inclusive space that speaks to both local and global audiences. His success lies in understanding that a museum should reflect its community and he has spearheaded the acquisition and exhibition of artworks by women, LGBTQ and BIPOC artists; reducing admission fees; a 2018 expansion and redesign that added dedicated space for families; and implementing hyper-local marketing campaigns. Jonathan Travis is the property broker behind Tribeca’s transformation into an art district and is arguably responsible for turning the neighborhood into a haven for galleries looking to escape Chelsea’s oversaturation. Through deft negotiation with landlords and gallery owners alike, he lured major names like James Cohan, P·P·O·W, Andrew Kreps and Canada to the area, transforming Tribeca into an art epicenter that gives Chelsea a run for its money. Jasmine Wahi, the founder and co-director of Project for Empty Space, has made it her mission to shake up the art world with curation that’s unapologetically feminist and fiercely focused on social justice through the lens of female empowerment. Her recent exhibition, “VAMPIRE::MOTHER,” at Los Angeles’ Anat Ebgi Gallery, confronted traditional stereotypes of femininity and motherhood, sparking conversations that the art market can no longer ignore. Darren Walker’s influence on the art world has been nothing short of transformative, as he worked through the $16 billion Ford Foundation for 12 years to support underrepresented artists and reshape museum collections across the country. But he’s not one to rest on his laurels, as tempting as that may be. “Part of the challenge is it’s just so alluring to stay in the position,” Walker, who will step down from his role at the philanthropic organization sometime next year, said at this year’s Concordia Summit in New York.
The Most Influential People in Art
Álvaro Almería
“I’m focusing on bringing real data clarity to the art market,” Almería tells Observer. “I’ve seen seasoned collectors left disappointed after buying into hyped-up artists or inflated promises about ‘surefire investments.’ I want to change that. Collectors, galleries, artists—they all deserve the full picture before they commit.”
To do this, Almería’s approach takes a forensic breakdown of where the money flows and where the hype falls flat. His valuation methodology pulls no punches, with sell-through rates, hammer ratios and segmented price trends that lay out a collector’s playbook in plain sight. Almería calls out overhyped darlings, uncovers hidden gems and gives his readers an edge in spotting trends before they go mainstream. He walks a tightrope on Instagram between curator and influencer, posting real-time intel on recently sold works and market-moving artists like Henni Alftan and Claire Tabouret. His followers aren’t there for the pretty pictures but for market insight with teeth.
If his willingness to give away his newsletter to anyone who comments “email” on his posts is any indication, Almería knows that keeping his audience engaged and educated is a long game—one that will ultimately influence how art insiders and casual fans understand and transact in the art market. In a landscape built on mystique, Almería reminds us all that knowledge is power.
Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
But her influence goes beyond acquisitions. With projects like the upcoming Lusail Museum (opening in 2029) and the Art Mill Museum (opening in 2030), she’s building a cultural infrastructure that won’t just be seen—it’ll be studied. Sheikha Al Mayassa’s reach extends to the Art for Tomorrow Conference, where she this year orchestrated “Your Ghosts Are Mine,” a 40-artist showcase that, according to the New York Times, solidified the Middle East as a rising cultural force. And with her expansion of Qatar Creates, she’s building a year-round platform that connects Qatar’s art, fashion and film to global ecosystems, all aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030.
It’s cultural diplomacy with a Midas touch, but her vision isn’t confined to Qatar; as chair of Reach Out to Asia, she funnels her influence into educational access for crisis-hit communities. Sheikha Al Mayassa’s strategy is clear: redefine the role of the collector, blur the lines between philanthropy and nationalism and position Qatar as an art capital to rival any in the West. As long as she’s steering the ship, the art market’s perception of the Middle East will keep evolving.
Cecilia Alemani
In 2022, Alemani claimed the Venice Biennale as her next canvas, becoming the first Italian woman to direct the storied exhibition. Her Biennale, a surrealist jolt, gave voice to a majority of women artists and left a mark that still resonates. Alemani doesn’t curate; she stages intellectual gauntlets, demanding more than a polite glance from her audience. Her shows insist on engagement, with themes that twist away from convention and scale walls of comfortable interpretation. For her, art that doesn’t provoke might as well stay in storage.
The next challenge? The 12th SITE SANTA FE International in 2025, where she plans another shock to the system. Selected by SITE SANTA FE’s executive director Louis Grachos for her “artist-centric vision,” Alemani promises a Biennial that will “take over many institutions and unusual venues” in Santa Fe. If her record holds, she’ll orchestrate an international display with deep ties to the culture and terrain of Santa Fe and New Mexico, spotlighting artists who stretch and disrupt the mainstream. From seven new High Line commissions, a Pigeon Fest, and her traveling exhibit “Making Their Mark,” Alemani keeps her work in perpetual motion, a relentless crescendo.
Leila A. Amineddoleh
She’s no mere consultant—Amineddoleh has long been a voice for preserving cultural resources, adding weight to her credentials with every high-profile restitution case she takes on. “It is always incredibly gratifying to be part of the rightful return of cultural goods,” she tells Observer, adding that she’s “eager to resolve a number of cultural heritage disputes between private clients and foreign nations” in 2025.
Amineddoleh’s influence isn’t confined to the courtroom; as a mediator for MediateArt, she’s used her knowledge of the art world to guide contract negotiations and untangle delicate disputes. Her work in art authentication, collaborating with forensic scientists and art historians, gives her a distinct edge when working with buyers in a market rife with forgeries and dubious or complex provenance claims. As long as there are art world power plays, Amineddoleh’s influence will remain woven into the fabric of the industry—bringing a necessary rigor to an often murky market.
Sarah Arison
But her reach stretches even further. Arison chairs the National YoungArts Foundation—another family legacy—where she’s spearheaded strategic partnerships with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sotheby’s and the Sundance Film Festival to give young artists the mentorship and visibility they need to thrive. Her past and present involvement with a litany of organizations, from the American Ballet Theatre and The Kitchen to the Brooklyn Museum and the New World Symphony, speaks to her deep-rooted but broad-ranging influence.
Arison’s knack for fundraising and fostering connections across generations of collectors and enthusiasts has made her a rare bridge between established and up-and-coming patrons—and the art world is celebrating her. Most recently, her efforts were recognized at Pérez Art Museum Miami’s International Women’s Committee Luncheon, where she was an honoree. With her talent for fostering strategic partnerships and her deep dedication to elevating young artists, Arison’s quiet but decisive influence in the art world is set to grow.
Nicholas Baume
Guided by a Rolodex that could spark envy in the Met, Baume has curated shows featuring titans like Ai Weiwei and Rashid Johnson. The art program for JFK’s shiny Terminal 6, recasting the airport as a cultural threshold and proving that even the dreariest layover can be a brush with art. But Baume isn’t just setting up bronze figures and sculptures; he’s staging full-blown conversations. His partnership with Ai Weiwei on “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors” ripped social and political topics out of the news cycle and plastered them onto security fences citywide, flipping barriers into symbols of resilience and sparking fresh dialogue on migration.
Baume has also dragged Public Art Fund into the digital age via the Bloomberg Connects app, giving anyone, anywhere, access to the city’s art scene. The next adventure? A Rockaway Beach project featuring sculptures masquerading as ping-pong tables—inviting beachgoers to serve up volleys while mingling with Baume’s vision. “We’re bringing together a group of artists, each commissioned to reimagine the humble ping-pong table as a usable sculpture,” Baume enthuses to Observer, his excitement palpable as he pitches each new vision for New York’s ever-evolving canvas.
Evan Beard
Then came Level & Co., Beard’s latest move to turn the art market into a quasi-Wall Street for the culturally inclined. Positioned as a secondary-market gallery and merchant bank hybrid, the gallery brings Basquiat and Warhol together with hard-nosed analytics, as if trying to prove that the right formula can make even art market skeptics see dollar signs. Through his knack for data-driven deals and an unabashed focus on profit, Beard is flipping the script, pushing the art world’s boundaries in ways that would make traditionalists wince. Beard’s influence is undeniable for those ready to embrace art as an asset class—and the market isn’t likely to look back.
Michael Bloomberg
Bloomberg’s reach doesn’t stop at city limits; he’s reshaping the global art scene as chairman of the Serpentine Galleries in London and through sponsorships of international biennales from Venice to São Paulo. Ventures like the Bloomberg Connects app, which offers digital guides for more than 550 cultural organizations in 40 languages, ensure that art remains accessible, even if you’re nowhere near Canal Street.
But he doesn’t just fund high art—programs like the Asphalt Art Initiative, with its grants for public street art aimed at improving traffic safety, reveal a sharp understanding of art as a tool for community betterment. And if supporting arts organizations weren’t enough, Bloomberg has stepped into the fray on urgent social issues. His Public Art Challenge invites cities to tackle local problems—e.g., gun violence, climate change—through innovative public art. Meanwhile, his partnerships with the Ford Foundation on America’s Cultural Treasures and with SMU DataArts to promote data-driven decisions in the arts show his knack for bringing heavy hitters together to address systemic inequality. In a market often driven by spectacle, he’s one of the few investing in arts infrastructure that’s ethical and built to last.
Lee Cavaliere
Cavaliere’s influence, however, extends far beyond this art fair’s aisles. During the Covid years, he founded VOMA, the first entirely virtual art museum, democratizing access to works by icons like Caravaggio and Matisse, demonstrating his commitment to using digital tools to bridge gaps. He’s applied the same ethos at VOLTA, partnering with virtual platforms like Vortic to bring the fair experience online, making art more accessible to global audiences.
Then there’s The Sixteen Trust, Cavaliere’s own organization, which pairs young people from challenging backgrounds with opportunities in the arts—a hands-on answer to the art world’s sometimes notable lack of socioeconomic diversity. With his sharp focus on digital innovation, equity and inclusivity, he’s setting a new standard for arts leadership.
Sophia Cohen
Over at the Milken Institute’s Young Leaders Circle, Cohen swaps high-finance gloss for cultural investment, molding hundreds of global young philanthropists into patrons who know Jean-Michel Basquiat from Banksy. Her Global Ambassadors Initiative at LACMA—launched in late 2024 to entice young art lovers to linger and appreciate rather than flip for profit—is effectively a love letter to art’s permanence in a culture of transience. And her informal curation of the Mets’ Artist Series isn’t just a quirky stadium stunt; it’s an art-world Trojan horse, mingling bucket hats by Rashid Johnson and totes by Joel Mesler with a new generation of fans who never imagined they’d be touching a piece of contemporary art.
Now, with Siren, her new advisory and curatorial consultancy, Cohen is maneuvering herself as the brains behind art-world collaborations, a cultural matchmaker of the highest order. In the cutthroat art market, she’s less the loud disruptor and more the quiet architect with a clear blueprint for influence.
Elizabeth Dee
As the founder of the Independent Art Fair, Dee has cultivated a brand around “curatorial excellence” and depth, positioning new voices alongside legends like Pablo Picasso through her Independent 20th Century side venture. Reflecting on the fair’s evolution, Dee told Observer in 2023, “We thought this was an interesting opportunity for Independent—how could we contextualize 20th-century art as strongly as we have tried to contextualize the present and future of contemporary art?” Her answer is clear: by treating art’s past with the same vigor she applies to its future.
Celebrating 15 years of Independent’s iconoclastic approach, Dee is now shaping the art world’s future from the ground up—literally lecturing New York University students on how to crack open the fine art business. In Dee’s orbit, they’re learning she isn’t just part of the market; she’s one of the power players defining its next chapter.
Clément Delépine
“The dynamic evolution, for the second year in a row, of Art Basel Paris’ public program reflects our enduring commitment to the city and will bring thought-provoking art to some of its most iconic public spaces,” he told Observer in September. He delivered on that promise through a partnership with the Centre des Monuments Nationaux that uses the Hôtel de la Marine as a canvas, reimagining Paris’ heritage sites as unexpected stages for contemporary art. Beyond the booths of the Paris fair, collaborations with cultural heavyweights like the Louvre and the Petit Palais tie Paris’ historic grandeur to Art Basel’s global prestige, cementing his role as a curator of idea and place.
Delépine’s talent for merging high culture with new energy was honed at Paris Internationale, where he turned a fledgling satellite fair into the cool-kid hangout for emerging artists. But now, with Art Basel Paris, he’s moved beyond trendsetting. Delépine isn’t just running an art fair—he’s reinventing it, blurring lines between history and innovation with the sophistication only Paris could inspire.
Laurence des Cars
Her approach to restitution reveals her willingness to shatter historic taboos. With fearless pragmatism, she’s rewriting the playbook on stolen art, focusing on what’s right rather than what’s comfortable (the Louvre’s three-year restitution research project with Sotheby’s comes to mind). Des Cars is also moving the museum beyond its Western-centered lens. She’s spearheading a Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox Christian curatorial department with a 20,000-piece collection that spans the Middle East to the Caucasus. For des Cars, “places like the Getty and the Louvre are where you should be free to experience the diversity of artistic expression throughout time,” she said. “You can love or hate a work of art; that’s okay.”
Des Cars’ trailblazing history includes her tenure at the Musée d’Orsay, where she made headlines with the “Black Models” exhibition, bringing underrepresented narratives to a museum known for its 19th-century European masters. At the helm of the Louvre, she’s got a talent for finding new ways for old institutions to innovate—one bold, boundary-pushing project at a time.
Julian Ehrlich
“I’m looking forward to opportunities to foreground significant, overlooked artists in the market,” Ehrlich tells Observer, with a focus on “the shifting consensus around value for different kinds of artworks as the market transforms and grows.” In his latest masterclass in auction curation, he assembled more than 280 works, stitching together unlikely dialogues between the polished constructs of Donald Judd and the raw intensity of Black artists like Jack Whitten and David Hammons. His curation reads like an insider’s wink—pairing the big names with boundary-pushers like Lynne Drexler and Noah Purifoy, all while placing under-sung artists alongside establishment giants. “The auction market allows you to have a voice in the conversation around artists who maybe haven’t yet been publicized in a public market context,” he told CULTURED last year.
Ehrlich has arguably breathed life into previously overlooked conversations in the art market, connecting the dots between artists like Rosemarie Castoro and Judd while daring collectors to see beyond surface-level prestige. With a knack for injecting intersectional perspectives into a traditionally conservative sphere, Ehrlich sets the table for a new kind of collector—one who values nuance as much as net worth. This isn’t your typical Christie’s curator; Ehrlich is the rare specialist who manages to keep the art world guessing, all while shaping its future with an ironic smirk and an impeccable eye.
Bridget Finn
Under Finn’s leadership, the 2024 edition boasts a lineup that doesn’t just look different—it feels different. Finn has introduced a conversation series curated by Kim Bradley and a diverse array of performances, and she’s championing emerging galleries with scaled-down booth options, making participation more accessible. “We needed to carve out a more equitable path to participation for small and mid-sized galleries entering the main sector of this show,” Finn explained.
Finn’s influence extends beyond her Art Basel title. As co-founder of gallery Reyes | Finn, she elevated Detroit’s art scene to the international stage, not merely as an observer but as a key player. ARTnews recognized the gallery as having one of Art Basel Miami Beach 2022’s standout booths. During the pandemic, she launched Art Mile Detroit, a digital marketplace that ensured local talent had both an audience and income, with works priced to attract new collectors.
On a more personal front, Finn spearheaded Flourish, a fundraising initiative that has raised over $1.3 million for research into STXBP1 disorder, a cause close to her heart as the mother of an affected child. From Detroit’s gritty streets to Miami’s white sands, Finn is more than a fair director; she’s a whip-smart strategist reshaping art’s next chapter with maximum precision.
Johanna Flaum
Her time at Sotheby’s was a masterclass in setting records from Warhol to Richter. At Christie’s, Flaum became the mastermind behind the historic $1.5 billion sale of Paul Allen’s art collection—a staggering roster of works by Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne that turned the auction room into a modern-day coliseum for the ultra-wealthy. Flaum isn’t your classic hammer-wielding auctioneer; she’s brought the art world into the digital age with live-streamed sales, a virtual innovation that has since become an industry standard. She’s packed Christie’s virtual galleries with augmented reality and super zooms, crafting an experience that lets buyers hover over brushstrokes without leaving their penthouse suites.
With old-school know-how and forward-thinking strategic thinking, Flaum is reshaping the auction world. No longer the playground of the ultra-elite, art auctions have become a digital experience accessible to all—if not via the sales themselves, then via the auction house’s virtual galleries, augmented reality tours and enriched video content.
Katherine Fleming
Under her watch, the Getty is undertaking initiatives that span its empire: two museums, a conservation institute and a research hub, all retooled to meet today’s demands for relevance. Her $17 million commitment to the Pacific Standard Time (PST Art) project—a sprawling Southern California art-science fusion with 800 artists riffing on biotech, indigenous sci-fi and A.I.—aims to pull art from its ivory tower and inject it into the messy, dynamic landscape of contemporary life. It’s Fleming’s way of proving the Getty can be more than a bastion of rarefied art history; it can also be a cultural player that speaks directly to our times.
And when it comes to acquisitions, Fleming’s approach is downright headline-worthy. She recently pulled off a $62 million transatlantic custody deal for Joshua Reynolds’ Portrait of Mai (Omai), orchestrating a joint purchase with London’s National Portrait Gallery. Apollo Magazine dubbed it “Acquisition of the Year,” a nod to the savvy maneuvering that ensured the piece would be shared across continents rather than stashed behind closed doors.
Before she became Getty’s power broker, Fleming was New York University’s Provost, where she expanded research and strengthened faculty support programs—moves that foreshadowed her bold take on Getty’s mandate. At Getty, she’s holding the reins with a clear mission to make art accessible while keeping one eye on its digital future and redefining what a billion-dollar arts institution can be.
Glenn Fuhrman
With more than 100 shows and nearly a thousand artists under FLAG’s belt, Fuhrman’s space is no mere vanity project—it’s a stage for the overlooked, and his Spotlight series only ups the ante by pairing under-the-radar works with fresh, commissioned writing. FLAG partners with everyone from the Harlem Children’s Zone to New York Road Runners, proving that Fuhrman’s reach is as democratic as it is diverse. Fuhrman’s co-sponsorship of the Suzanne Deal Booth/FLAG Art Foundation Prize doles out a cool $200,000 to rising stars, paired with an Austin-New York exhibition tour that reads as much like a coronation as an opportunity. Then there’s his FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence, which gives sizable cash prizes to NYC teachers, reinforcing his belief that art shouldn’t start and stop at the gallery—it also needs a foothold in public schools.
With his Fuhrman Family Foundation backing high-profile public art, from Ai Weiwei’s installations to Isa Genzken’s city-centric Two Orchids, Fuhrman is as much about art for the masses as he is about pushing boundaries. With positions on the boards of MoMA, ICA Philadelphia and the Tate Americas Foundation, plus a seat at Larry Gagosian’s table, Fuhrman’s influence isn’t merely entrenched—it’s expansive, ensuring that as long as there are walls to fill and ideas to push, his fingerprints will be all over the art world’s evolution.
Gallery Climate Coalition
GCC isn’t just tracking numbers; it’s setting new norms. Its “Decarbonize Now” campaign has rallied significant art fairs—including Art Basel, Frieze and TEFAF—around the goal of halving greenhouse gas emissions. By identifying that a third of mid-size gallery emissions stem from art fairs alone, GCC shined a spotlight on an industry practice that’s long gone unchecked. GCC’s publicly listed carbon commitments and best practices guidelines, from shipping via ocean to reducing wasteful packaging, ensure that members (listed publicly on the group’s website) have a workable framework for going green.
Looking ahead, GCC is preparing to launch an ambitious sustainable shipping campaign. A rep tells the Observer that they are “excited to work with a major U.S. institution to provide leadership on sector-specific environmental issues and to develop a global advocacy program to offer meaningful opportunities for individuals to engage in climate action.”
Larry Gagosian
And yet, for all his influence, Gagosian’s succession plans remain a mystery. Recently, he poached Brooke Lampley from Sotheby’s after his COO, Andrew Fabricant, departed—just as he assembled a star-studded advisory board that includes artist Jenny Saville and financier J. Tomilson Hill. It’s a lineup that feels more like a last-ditch move to ensure the gallery’s dominance in a Gagosian-less future, though only the dealer truly knows what’s next. Perhaps he’s toying with the idea of leaving his legacy to a cadre of art power players. Or maybe it’s all part of his ongoing strategy, a kind of high-stakes waiting game in which Gagosian himself remains the only constant.
Of course, Gagosian’s reach isn’t limited to art sales; he has a publishing arm, a quarterly magazine with 50,000 subscribers and even an advisory for rare book collectors. And every now and then, he’ll play philanthropist—like when he helped raise funds for Notre Dame or partnered with Bono’s (RED) to combat AIDS. But don’t mistake these moves for soft-heartedness. Whether he’s curating a collection, expanding his empire, or playing in philanthropy’s big leagues, Gagosian knows each move is another stroke in a masterpiece he’s been crafting for decades, one that will likely outlast him, with or without a signed-off heir.
Arturo Galansino
Galansino’s Palazzo Strozzi doesn’t just look grand; it operates like a rare breed, privately funded yet public-minded. The institution’s unique funding model, which relies on private contributions and earned revenue, sets it apart from Italy’s more traditional art institutions, and Galansino enjoys a lot more creative freedom. Under his watch, the Palazzo has become a kind of laboratory for the sustainable art tourism trend, all while keeping its foot on the accelerator with shows like “Fallen Angels” by Anselm Kiefer and “Painting Without Rules” in collaboration with the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation. In 2025, the Palazzo (which is open to all) will host the first Italian institutional show by celebrated British artist Tracey Emin and a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition dedicated to Fra Angelico, one of the fathers of the Renaissance, which is sure to leave a lasting mark on art history.
Before Palazzo Strozzi, Galansino honed his skills at the Royal Academy, where he curated exhibitions that practically leaned on the gilt-edged frames of history. Now, he’s found a way to package the Renaissance and the avant-garde as part of one grand narrative—fitting for a man with a PhD in art history and a taste for the experimental. “Our foundation serves as both a platform and a bridge between Florence and the world, offering dynamic programs that bring Renaissance art to life while introducing cutting-edge contemporary research to the city,” he tells Observer. Indeed, Galansino is no mere guardian of tradition; he’s an operator with one foot in the past and the other kicking down the door of the art establishment, leaving Italy’s art world scrambling to catch up.
Theaster Gates
It’s not Gates’ style to chase art-world approval; instead, he’s brought a fresh audience to the table on his own terms, and the market has noticed. For Gates, it’s about spotlighting emerging talent in a market that tends to silo Black artists. With a significant grant for his Rebuild Foundation in 2024, Gates is doubling down on his cultural district, adding three new spaces to Chicago’s South Side (Stony Island Arts Bank, Dorchester Art + Housing Collaborative and Kenwood Gardens) that blend culture with urban renewal by transforming underused buildings into mixed-use art spaces. The artist is reshaping the art market from the ground up, proving that real change doesn’t come with a price tag—it comes with vision, a lot of grit and, in Gates’ case, community activism.
He told Observer earlier this year that “getting together is a powerful act, and it doesn’t require institutional intervention for it to happen. I am thankful for being a convener and for all the other people who have hosted amazing convenings before and after me.” Moving forward, he’s embarking on a new community-centered arts project—the development of the Philadelphia-based Forman Arts Initiative’s 100,000-square-foot campus—reinforcing his status as not just an artist but also an engaged advocate for social justice.
Thelma Golden
Golden’s vision extends far beyond Harlem, her influence quietly infiltrating mainstream spaces that once stood aloof. Partnerships with MoMA and the Met have nudged the art world’s high towers just enough to force them to notice what’s been in front of them all along. Artists who might’ve been relegated to the margins are suddenly—and visibly—center stage. “Our collection traces, as few institutions can, a history of creativity by artists of African descent that we will continue to nurture far into the future,” she tells Observer, with an understated authority that makes it clear: she isn’t asking for permission.
Her recent win? A $10 million Ford Foundation grant to fund the Studio Museum’s director and chief curator role in perpetuity—a thumb in the eye of philanthropy’s usual gatekeepers. Golden’s advocacy is anything but polite; it’s strategic and relentless and a reminder that she’s not here to play nice with the establishment. She’s here to reshape it. Harlem, under Golden’s watchful eye, isn’t just a neighborhood; it’s a renewed cultural hub, a place Golden’s turning into a battleground for real change. If the art world thought they could keep up, they’re in for a surprise. Golden is an architect of change who isn’t afraid to break a few molds along the way, and she’s got Harlem—and everyone watching—on their toes.
Michael Govan
On other fronts, he’s been busy stacking LACMA’s collection with powerhouse pieces from Latin American and Latinx artists, scoring works by Carmen Herrera and Jorge Pardo and nudging the museum toward a genuinely global vision. While Govan is giving Indigenous and Latinx art its due, crafting narratives challenging the tired stories of conquest that most institutions still cling to, his accessibility initiatives are getting more young Angelenos through the doors, while sustainable building initiatives give LACMA a sheen of ecological virtue. Govan’s legacy will no doubt prove to be more than steel and glass and visitor numbers—the local scene pivots around him, and he’s a big part of the reason Los Angeles has become the hot new gallery hub.
Marcela Guerrero
Through lectures, panels and strategic media moves, Guerrero has helped elevate the Puerto Rican, Caribbean and Latinx diasporic experience from a niche topic to serious art world discourse, adding a new layer of visibility to artists who have long been boxed out of the mainstream. Guerrero, who was recently tapped to curate the 2026 Whitney Biennial with Drew Sawyer, doesn’t simply advocate; she challenges the art world to rethink its blind spots with a diplomatic, irreverent charm that keeps everyone from critics to curators on their toes. With this momentum, she has become one of the new art world voices calling the shots when it comes to what gets seen, celebrated and taken seriously.
Philip Hoffman
Leading The Fine Art Group’s expansion into Asia in 2023, Hoffman planted a strategic flag with a new Hong Kong office and a joint venture with former Sotheby’s Asia chair Patti Wong. It’s a power play with all the subtlety of a hedge fund takeover, giving Hoffman a foothold in a market that’s only getting hungrier. His alliance with Schwartzman& in New York proves he knows his way around the U.S. elite, bringing in top-tier collectors, family offices and institutions who write the checks that move markets.
His acquisition of Pall Mall Art Advisors? Just another piece in his carefully orchestrated puzzle, adding clout in advisory and appraisal services across global art capitals. But Hoffman isn’t just in this for the corporate handshakes. Having managed over $20 billion in art assets since inception, he’s made art investment respectable, lucrative, and frankly, a little intimidating. This isn’t just art for art’s sake—it’s art as an asset class, with Hoffman pulling the strings and the market following his lead.
Maja Hoffmann
This is no vanity project; it’s Hoffmann’s sprawling answer to how art should operate: borderless, interdisciplinary and a bit larger than life. Her influence doesn’t end in Arles. Hoffmann has poured funds into the Fondation Vincent van Gogh, Kunsthalle Zürich and Serpentine Galleries, bolstering each with the kind of programming and reach only deep pockets and even deeper ambition can buy. Meanwhile, her “Elevation 1049” biennial in Gstaad and LUMA Westbau in Zurich have made the LUMA Foundation a European powerhouse, bridging art with science and environmental issues that most patrons wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.
Hoffmann isn’t merely a patron; she’s a force of nature reshaping art philanthropy and pushing boundaries with an irreverent flair that makes her as much a curator of culture as the artists she champions. Expect her to keep shaking things up, one audaciously funded project at a time.
Candice Hopkins
Now the executive director and chief curator of the Forge Project, Hopkins is pushing an even more radical agenda. Under her leadership, Forge transitioned to a nonprofit with an Indigenous-led governance model—a “new cultural model rooted in Indigenous values of leadership and reciprocity,” as she tells Observer. Supported by the Gochman Family Foundation and George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, she’s also spearheading a partnership with Bard College to fund Indigenous faculty, scholarships for Native students and an expansion of Indigenous archival resources. It’s a full-scale recalibration of the art conversation, with Hopkins wielding a sharp wit and an even sharper curatorial eye.
In a market that banks on predictability, Hopkins is the necessary disruption—dismantling historical amnesia with a steady hand and rewriting who gets remembered. While the art world clings to what it knows, Hopkins is busy rewriting the script.
Noah Horowitz
Then there’s the three-year pact with the Hong Kong Tourism Board, a union so shrewd it practically begs a wink. By folding Hong Kong’s cultural quirks—“The Cha Chaan Teng” pop-up, for one—into Art Basel’s glossiest events, Horowitz has effectively tied the city’s fortunes to his growing empire. Throw in a 37 percent spike in Hong Kong exhibitors, and he’s got all the makings of a dynasty-builder in Asia, unfazed by whispers of regional competition.
Horowitz’s sightline also stretches eastward to the controlled energy of Art Week Tokyo, pulling Japan into the fold with his trademark finesse. And while he might wax optimistic about China’s elusive art market, his actions—doubling down on Art Basel Hong Kong—speak louder than any bullish soundbite. Basel is also in talks to run the Abu Dhabi Art Fair, potentially bringing Basel’s influence to yet another region.
All of this parallels Horowitz’s digital ambitions, where he’s wrangled Craig Hepburn and Hayley Romer to turbocharge Art Basel’s online clout. A bit high-tech, a bit high-gloss, he’s poised to drag Art Basel into Web3 and generative A.I., a new twist in the old ritual of looking, buying and flaunting. If Horowitz has his way, art might just evolve into an experience as digital as it is dazzling, his influence lingering like a signature brushstroke on every corner of the market.
Bettina Huang
Huang launched her career at Christie’s before sidestepping into e-commerce. She’s as tech-savvy as she is art-smart, and she’s leveraged her skills to create a buying experience that’s clear, straightforward and blessedly free of the usual art-world snobbery. Platform’s model is built around timed, transparent sales that encourage buyers to act without drowning them in details or jargon. And it’s paying off: the younger crowd is buying in, finding the experience far more “add to cart” than “bid from a back room.” For the price of transparency and ease, Huang’s customers are rewarded with a slice of the contemporary art scene that feels approachable and—here’s the twist—utterly on-trend.
But what really sets Huang apart is her knack for elevating fresh voices that might otherwise get left out of the conversation or have yet to find their way into the traditional art market. With each sale, Huang brings a little humanity to the transaction, focusing on the story behind each artist to make the art world that much more democratic. Zwirner is on board, but the rest of the old guard might have to scramble to keep up.
Dakis Joannou
Through his DESTE Foundation for Contemporary Art, Joannou doesn’t just dabble in exhibitions; he curates provocations. His 2023 exhibition “Dream Machines” took a spin with artists like Anicka Yi and Andro Wekua, offering interdisciplinary art that winks at convention while challenging it outright. Joannou’s support of mid-career artists isn’t about fat checks but lean budgets, forcing artists like Matthew Barney and Maurizio Cattelan to turn limitations into fuel for creation. This isn’t patronage—it’s a dare wrapped in a handshake, and the results are undeniably unique.
Joannou’s art world influence isn’t confined to Greece; his reach stretches far, with DESTE’s destefashioncollection landing in Miami’s Bass Museum, proof that he’s as adept at blending art with fashion as he is at combining art with attitude. His collection of over 1,500 works by 400 boldface names like Cindy Sherman and Takashi Murakami is a statement on global discourse, nudging the art world where Joannou wants it to go.
“We will remain focused on responding to what is current and relevant in the art world,” Joannou told Observer earlier this year, with just enough gravitas to make us wonder if ‘current’ means ‘whatever everyone else is too afraid to touch.’ His connections are forged not with cash but with conversation, cultivating a community that values risk and a bit of irreverence. In an industry often caught up in the sheen of transactional patronage, Joannou’s approach feels refreshingly—if not defiantly—personal, a vision set to keep Hydra buzzing and the art world on its toes.
Frédéric Jousset
But Jousset isn’t stopping with catamarans. His €100 million ArtNova fund, launched in 2020, is a double-barreled venture that invests in cultural tech startups and heritage projects, aiming to make access to culture a growth industry. There’s ArtNova Capital for the high-flying ventures and ArtNova Patrimoine for heritage preservation and together, they fund Jousset’s vision of a world where culture isn’t just accessible—it’s profitable. Even the profits from ArtNova roll back into Jousset’s Art Explora Foundation, creating a neat, self-sustaining loop with more than a few investors taking notes.
With his Art Explora Foundation, Jousset has turned outreach into an art form. The foundation’s mobile museum trucks have traversed the U.K. with Tate, and its programs include residencies, Sorbonne-led courses and even art outreach for the elderly and hospital patients. And then there’s his €150,000 cultural engagement prize, given to European institutions that make art feel less like a museum chore and more like a community affair. Recent recipients include Madrid’s Teatro Real, which staged open-air operas for the public and the Musée d’Ixelles, which lends artworks to local homes.
As if that weren’t enough, Jousset’s transformation of Hangar Y, a historic space near Paris, into a cultural event center is a final reminder of his reach. “I am deeply convinced that universal access to arts and culture is a cause that should be promoted more strongly,” he tells Observer, with a passion that borders on evangelism. For Jousset, art isn’t an elite privilege; it’s a human right, and he’s ready to make it happen, one catamaran, mobile museum and art fund at a time.
Tony Karman
Now, with Frieze stepping in as EXPO’s new owner, 2024’s fair was the first to flaunt Karman’s newest layout “upgrades”—a euphemism for the kind of structural flourishes Frieze cash brings to the table. This year’s highlights read like a gallery walk on steroids: from Lucia Koch’s central installation to Ariel Cabrera’s tantalizing All-inclusive Trip and Amy Stober’s Crying Girl (presumably weeping with ironic glee).
Karman’s Curatorial Forum, celebrating its tenth year in 2024, is perhaps his smartest maneuver yet. By footing the bills for hotels and flights, he’s made sure curators are parked front and center at the fair, ensuring EXPO isn’t just seen but deeply considered by the art world’s gatekeepers. And he’s doubled down this year with the Curatorial Conference, a two-day networking spree that turns curators into captive ambassadors for EXPO’s relevance.
Karman’s greatest feat? Making sure EXPO CHICAGO can play in the same league as New York and L.A. while keeping a Midwestern sensibility—savvy, unassuming, but unmistakably ambitious. “Broadly speaking, I love to say that Chicago is the place where the work just gets done,” Karman told Observer earlier this year. In Karman’s hands, the Chicago art scene isn’t just on the map; it’s got its own satellite.
Alex Katz
Behind the canvas, Katz plays philanthropist with a twist. His Alex Katz Foundation, founded in 2004, operates more like a gallery than a charity, buying pieces from mid-career and emerging artists only to donate them to Maine’s local institutions, such as Bowdoin College Museum of Art and Farnsworth Art Museum. Katz’s style of philanthropy has been described as “quiet,” but there’s a strategy here: he’s stacking the cultural deck, ensuring that his legacy—and the artists he has chosen to anoint—leave an imprint on museum walls. For a man whose art fills grand halls, he’s remarkably restrained when it comes to the Foundation, which he runs with his family. Of course, if Katz’s idea of “quiet philanthropy” involves donating over 700 artworks to institutions and contributing millions to arts organizations, one can only imagine what noise would look like.
His recent retrospective, “Alex Katz: Gathering,” at the Guggenheim in 2022, brought his distinct style to a broader audience—some seeing his work for the first time. And from Venice to Paris, Katz’s latest exhibitions show no signs of slowing down, as if to declare that, at nearly a century, he’s just getting started. Katz might describe himself as an accidental influencer, but his impact—both on the canvas and through his calculated donations—paints a different story: he’s left his fingerprints all over the art world, and it’s a legacy that’s built to last.
Elie Khouri
But while Khouri indulges in what some might call an exercise in cultural accumulation, he also seems to be quite serious about putting both Dubai and Middle Eastern art on the art world’s radar. ‘Expanding the UAE’s art identity’ sounds like a lofty goal, but Khouri is actually making moves, seated on committees at Tate and MoMA, where he can shepherd acquisitions that lend Middle Eastern art an international platform. One of his notable contributions was helping MoMA secure Lawrence Abu Hamdan’s Walled Unwalled, a piece that makes even the most erudite collector feel like a beginner. It’s all connected, according to the collector: “One of my most rewarding accomplishments has been helping position the UAE as an emerging global hub for contemporary art, expanding its identity beyond a focus on Middle Eastern art alone,” he tells Observer. “And this broader engagement aligns with the progress I’ve made in my personal collecting journey.”
If Khouri has his way, the UAE will no longer be merely a stopover for art buyers—it will be a destination in its own right, whether the art world elite like it or not. But Khouri’s ambitions run even deeper; he’s now in the throes of establishing the Elie Khouri Art Foundation, rumored to be in operation already. This isn’t just another vanity project; Khouri wants it to be a global research center focused on the thorny questions of collecting: why collectors collect, where they display and how they disperse. The idea is that his own art addiction could one day foster a new breed of art patrons who aren’t just in it for the clout. Then again, the foundation might be Khouri’s ultimate flex—a legacy that positions him as a tastemaker in a more broadly curated world.
Dustyn Kim
Kim arrived at Artsy as Chief Revenue Officer in 2017, calling it “one of those moments in life where everything just clicked.” Now, she oversees everything from finance to corporate development, pushing Artsy into territories that the old guard might sniff at. In an industry still obsessed with brick-and-mortar mystique, she’s betting big on the convenience of a click. It seems like a safe bet. Under her leadership, Artsy has morphed into a global powerhouse, supporting over 4,000 galleries, auction houses and art fairs in 100 countries. She has pushed security measures and streamlined gallery uploads, collaborating with Artlogic to make the process smoother for galleries—and more lucrative for Artsy. It’s a logistical overhaul that doesn’t seem glamorous, but Kim understands the art world’s bread and butter requires the stability of safe transactions. She’s laying groundwork that, by digital standards, is light-years ahead of the traditionalists. And while many in the art world prefer opaqueness, Kim’s push for transparent cyber-secure deals hints at her own sly endgame: a marketplace where buying art online feels safe.
But Kim’s not just here to talk tech; she’s an art collector herself, leaning toward emerging and women artists as if to subtly rewrite the rules on who matters in art today. Her recent purchase of a work by Lithuanian painter Gabrielė Aleksė through Artsy is a tidy little flex, proof that she’s not only selling the dream—she’s buying it, too. And if Artsy’s new initiatives under her leadership manage to convert even a fraction of the luxury crowd, then Kim’s influence could be the kind that sticks, dismantling art’s intimidation factor, one digital sale at a time.
Felix Kwok
Kwok’s influence is about more than sales; his strategic fusion of Western-Asian art exchange positions him as the one to watch. With his hand on the pulse of the Asia market, he’s behind six of the seven highest Asian records for Picasso. Not one to shy away from theatrics, Kwok even teamed up with iconic Hong Kong pop singer Aaron Kwok for an abstract painting project—proof that high culture and pop culture can mingle so long as Felix Kwok is steering the ship.
And when he’s not setting auction records or making history with NFTs, Kwok is lecturing at elite universities and slipping art business savvy into the syllabi of Asia’s future power players. In 2025, he’ll be teaching in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taipei, and he even put together the first art market credit course for MBA students in Hong Kong—a not-so-subtle indication that he’s building an empire for the art market from the ground up. He somehow also finds time to write for Mingpao Monthly, Hong Kong and Contemporary Art News, Taiwan, and not too long ago produced a mini-documentary series with Hong Kong Economic Journal about the Hong Kong art market. Kwok is passionate not just about today’s auctions but also about priming the buyers, sellers and strategists who’ll carry his brand of high-stakes dealmaking into the next decade. And if he continues at this pace, they’ll all be speaking the language of art and commerce with Kwok’s signature flair.
Brooke Lampley
Her credentials? At Sotheby’s, Lampley wasn’t just anyone’s boss—she was Noah Horowitz’s boss, and she helmed sales that shattered records: $7.4 billion in 2021 alone, plus that Constitution copy and the headline-grabbing Landau and Macklowe collections, which pulled in nearly $1.35 billion combined. She’s done with gavel-banging for now, trading the public theater of Sotheby’s for the more intimate machinations of Gagosian’s inner circle, where she’s eager to explore “another side of the art world and to learn from the very best”—as if anyone needed reminding that the Gagosian brand sits atop the art-dealing food chain.
Lampley has the Midas touch, albeit one tempered by her steely precision and a talent for whispering deals that make history without making waves. But to think she might soften Gagosian’s sharp edges would be a mistake. Lampley’s entry into this rarefied world of private galleries is less about “learning” and more about writing her own rules in an industry that thrives on old money and fresh ego. Watch closely because, with Brooke Lampley, Gagosian gallery may find itself remade for a new generation of collectors.
Dan Law
The Andy Warhol Museum is already the largest single-artist museum in the United States, but Law believes it can be much more. He’s funneling Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh funds into The Factory Creative Arts Center, a 30,000-square-foot venue that will host everything from concerts to film screenings, proving that the Warhol brand (like the man himself) isn’t limited to 2D art. Then there are the educational initiatives: The Warhol Academy—supported by a $4 million endowment—is a learning and skill-building platform that includes workshops, fellowships and a degree-granting digital marketing diploma program. The Warhol Creative is an award-winning content studio that has contributed six figures in operating support for the museum in 2024 while offering new professional opportunities for regional talent.
Since taking over in 2023, Law has not only managed to exceed revenue goals—pulling in over $1 million annually—but he’s positioning the museum as a keystone for Pittsburgh’s artistic soul and a blueprint for museum recovery that, he hints, could work nationwide. His vision for The Pop District is a curious blend of Warholian iconoclasm and gritty civic boosterism, appealing to LGBTQ+ youth with inclusive programming while putting a polished, public-friendly face on what he hopes will be a new model for art institutions. “We believe our approach to reimagining museums can take hold throughout the country,” Law adds. Whether the art world will follow his lead remains to be seen, but Law’s reinvention of Warhol’s legacy is one of those sly moves that’s as much about local pride as it is about proving those who think art only happens on the coasts wrong.
Todd Levin
Levin’s reach isn’t limited to private collectors; his work with public institutions shows an appetite for making cultural waves, subtly blurring the line between personal passion and professional prowess. His recent acquisitions range from Egyptian antiquities to Old Masters by Adriaen Coorte and Dürer, alongside modern icons like Jacob Lawrence and contemporary stars like Cecily Brown. In an art world fueled by predictability, Levin’s eye stays sharp and refreshingly unpredictable, shifting from Hammershøi’s serene interiors to Calder’s kinetic marvels as easily as others choose wine.
In an industry filled with loud personalities and louder egos, Levin moves quietly, wielding influence without showmanship. As a member of the Association of Professional Art Advisors, he’s part of an elite circle of advisors and curators, but it’s clear Levin isn’t just another name on the list. His work doesn’t merely reflect the trends—it helps create them, one masterpiece at a time. “I already know 2025 will be an extraordinary year,” Levin tells Observer. “I begin a new chapter in January, living halftime between East and West coasts, which will allow me to better serve my active and expanding West Coast client base and become involved at ground level supporting the new Las Vegas Museum of Art, which is opening in 2028 in partnership with LACMA.” In a market where everyone’s trying to cash in, Levin’s in it for the long game, proving once again that authentic influence rarely needs a spotlight.
Miguel A. López
His tenure at TEOR/éTica in Costa Rica cemented his reputation as a curator who doesn’t just ask questions but digs trenches around traditional narratives, pushing against the boundaries of art’s “acceptable” histories. From feminist critiques in Hard to Swallow in Lima to retrospectives on Vicuña that traveled across Latin America, López has proven that he’s not afraid to anchor his shows in anti-patriarchal politics and feminist narratives. And while the art market may roll its eyes, López knows that visibility for marginalized voices is worth more than a nod from the establishment.
“What is the role of love in creating a sense of togetherness so that it is still possible to imagine a future?” López asks Observer. It’s a question that hints at the vision behind his curatorial work, which often fosters unity through complexity and difference. As co-founder of Bisagra, an experimental art space in Lima, he’s built a playground for artists and curators to redefine “collaboration,” rejecting the tired hierarchies that still cling to much of the industry.
From Toronto to Lima, López’s influence is a steady reminder that art can be as political as it is aesthetic. In a world where biennials chase photogenic installations, López offers a vision that’s collaborative, radical and refreshingly unpredictable.
Justine Ludwig
Ludwig’s vision extends beyond one-off exhibitions; she’s cultivating a space for art and activism to intersect year-round with the Creative Time HQ, a “space for intimate engagement,” as she describes it, where people can “think creatively, and engage in the process collectively.” Opened in 2022, the HQ is a permanent gathering place where the art and political worlds mingle in an open forum, encouraging collaboration on creative political action.
With her 2024 Creative Time Summit marking a post-pandemic return at BAM, Ludwig is once again amplifying the voices of artists, activists and thinkers and inviting the public to join in. Meanwhile, her new R&D Fellowship offers $50,000 awards for socially engaged artists to collaborate with thought leaders across disciplines, a commitment to long-term change backed by the Rockefeller Foundation’s Artist Impact Initiative. Ludwig’s Creative Time is a bold reimagining of what public art can be—not just an aesthetic enhancement but a force for dialogue and societal change.
Zoe Lukov
As curator-at-large for Water Street Projects, Lukov is no stranger to layered conversations. Before “YES, CHEF,” she made waves as chief curator at Faena Art in Miami, where her multidisciplinary Faena Festivals turned Miami Beach into a sprawling stage of high-concept, spiritually stimulating themes. In 2017, she upended Miami’s art scene with Fair., an all-women, non-commercial art fair that refused to play by market rules, establishing her as a fearless voice in experimental curation. Recognized by Cultured Magazine on its 2023 Young Curators List, Lukov continues to make her mark with projects that speak to complex narratives without compromising on accessibility.
In 2022, Lukov co-founded Art in Common with Abby Pucker, a nonprofit that turns unlikely spaces into stages for bold artistic statements. Exhibitions like “Skin in the Game” and “Boil, Toil & Trouble” integrated canonical names like Marina Abramovic with emerging talents in nontraditional settings. The organization is guided by the belief that “art is a basic human right” and “a means of telling our stories,” embodying Lukov’s philosophy that art should be both democratic and subversive. And indeed, her projects resonate because they don’t shy away from messy realities—Lukov is challenging how we perceive art, which she sees as a tool to unsettle and reframe both history and the present.
Yusaku Maezawa
Maezawa’s relationship with his collection appears as transient as his whims. In 2022, he sold another Basquiat for $85 million (for $30 million more than he’d paid for it), but despite these and other high-dollar transactions, Maezawa insists that his collecting is driven by passion rather than investment. To his credit, he is currently orchestrating the creation of a museum in his hometown, Chiba City, to showcase his expansive collection and, one assumes, immortalize his name in the annals of art history. Not content with terrestrial achievements, Maezawa has set his sights on the cosmos with the dearMoon project. If he can get it off the ground, it will take eight artists on a SpaceX journey around the moon to inspire creative works that reflect on space and humanity.
Yusaku Maezawa’s influence on the art market can be summed up in one word: bold. There are lofty acquisitions, strategic sales and grand projects that blur the line between passion and self-promotion—all conducted with his signature flair for the dramatic. We can’t help wondering what his next act will be.
Christine Messineo
Her most recent Frieze Los Angeles went bigger and brasher, staged on the Santa Monica Airport campus and featuring a collaboration with the Art Production Fund for the on-site “Set Seen” program, where art mingled with the spectacle of aviation in a sort of glam post-industrial tableau. And for a dash of social conscience, she brought in Los Angeles nonprofits like Gallery 90220, Gyopo and Reparations Club, giving Frieze the veneer of a fair that “cares” without risking its status as a luxury event. Frieze New York’s recent edition, meanwhile, hosted solo booths from big names like Alex Katz and Sterling Ruby, but critics noted the event lacked freshness—an irony not lost on Observer.
Messineo’s influence goes beyond the art market’s commercial trappings. In 2020, she partnered with Vote.org on Plan Your Vote, a civically charged initiative with Vote.org that’s transformed art into a voting PSA. Using works by artists like Derrick Adams, Wangechi Mutu and Hank Willis Thomas to motivate voters, Plan Your Vote has generated 20 million media impressions and 10,000 voter verifications, an impact that’s both impressive and oddly at home in the performative world of art-meets-activism. There’s no denying that how the art world and those in its orbit engage with the world is changing thanks in part to Messineo—and we’re excited to see what her next chapter holds.
Catherine Morris
In March 2025, the museum will host a presentation of the artist Nancy Elizabeth Prophet, an Afro-Indigenous artist a generation older than Catlett, whose work and life frame a radical feminism in the early twentieth century. But Morris’ influence doesn’t stop at the museum’s walls or Brooklyn’s borders. She’s committed to fostering cross-cultural dialogues between feminist artists and taking the lead in often uncomfortable conversations about art’s power and purpose.
In 2021, the Brooklyn Museum received a $50 million injection from New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs, a gift Morris called “transformative.” For her, the funding meant the chance to “present collections in entirely new ways and in updated gallery spaces that truly reflect the trailblazing and contemporary stories we aim to tell through art.” Translation: Morris is here to push her museum into bolder, sharper territory, leaving its old ways in the rearview, and by extension, charting a path forward for other institutions.
Bernardo Mosqueira
His approach to promoting the work of the artists we should already be talking about is two-fold but complementary. “In New York, I’m focused on supporting the study of and visibility of works by artists from Latin America, the Caribbean and the diasporas,” he tells Observer. “In Rio, we’re focused on experimental practices in art, education and social transformation, with a focus on the Global South.”
At ZONAMACO, Mosqueira’s curatorial choices are unflinching, blending the “pleasure” of social rebellion with politics and placing gender, race and power squarely in the spotlight—likely causing more than a few raised eyebrows among the high-heeled collectors. If that wasn’t enough, he’s known for guiding Brazilian artists like Ivan Grilo and Afonso Tostes to reputations that pack a punch, deconstructing tropes of modernism, race and Brazil’s avant-garde history. In Mosqueira’s view, art isn’t mere spectacle; it’s a vehicle for turning the mirror on society’s quiet contradictions and making them visible, whether or not the art world elite is ready to see it. His influence? Substantial—and if he has his way, it’s only just beginning.
Anwarii Musa
In his role as a member of the board of trustees at the Queens Museum, Musa isn’t content to simply warm a seat. For him, the opportunity to influence the institution’s programming is personal. “As a kid born and raised in Queens,” he wrote on Instagram last year, “this is truly a full circle moment to have both of the things I’m passionate about the most (my community and the arts) come together.” And in terms of curation, the “VOICES” exhibition at Studio 525 showcased Musa at his finest, spotlighting contemporary Black artists in a show that was as much a celebration as a statement. Black beauty, resilience and resistance all on display, with Musa behind it, turning the art world’s gaze exactly where it should be. And while that was a few years ago, his influence isn’t fading anytime soon; if anything, he’s just warming up.
Megan E. Noh
Need a steady hand to navigate the legal minefield of NFTs or mediate over the billion-dollar drama of art equity? Noh’s your pick—and she’ll do it all with a wry smile. But she’s no mere mercenary; as chair of the Artists Rights Subcommittee of the NYC Bar’s Art Law Committee, she’s leading the charge on artist rights like it’s her crusade.
Noh has lectured everywhere, from Columbia Law’s ivory tower to the Copyright Office, dissecting everything from authentication liability to VARA’s shaky grip on conceptual art. She pens academic articles with the kind of intellectual firepower that could make any NFT-hating skeptic reconsider, all while guiding the politically engaged art scene as vice chair of the Vera List Center for Art and Politics’ Advisory Board’s Executive Committee. Noh doesn’t just influence the art world—she curates its legal foundations with expertise, irony and just the right amount of unapologetic ambition.
Jean Nouvel
Then there’s his Art Museum Pudong in Shanghai, a study in white granite minimalism that commands attention without saying a word. With over 100,000 square feet hosting 13 galleries, the museum has evolved into an arena for large-scale, tech-driven installations, like Cai Guo-Qiang’s explosive gunpowder art. Nouvel’s secret? Designing spaces that breathe, morph and make room for art that’s both monumental and mercurial.
Nouvel’s influence lies in ways the he challenges artists and audiences alike. At 78, with awards stacked higher than his minimalist walls, he’s more than just another big name in architecture—he’s a force pushing museums toward a future that’s as flexible and daring as his own designs. In a world where the art market loves to play it safe, Nouvel’s vision is a jolt of precisely the opposite. And the art world can’t seem to get enough.
Hans Ulrich Obrist
Obrist’s influence obviously extends beyond technology; he’s a champion of environmental art, collaborating with figures like Otobong Nkanga on projects that delve into sustainability and interconnectedness. His commitment to ecology is more than thematic—it’s a call to action for the art world to confront environmental crises head-on. But while he’s looking to the future, Obrist hasn’t left tradition behind; his work revitalizing the painting medium brings cross-generational artists to the table, proving that painting still has fresh stories to tell in an era dominated by digital media.
Beyond exhibition walls, Obrist has transformed the Serpentine into a community hub, integrating art with public engagement spaces that invite dialogue and make art accessible to all. His long-running “do it” project launched in 1993 as a conversation between him and the artists Christian Boltanski and Bertrand Lavier and has now expanded globally into public and outdoor spaces, democratizing art-making by turning creative instructions into interactive experiences for anyone, anywhere. Obrist’s ability to merge cutting-edge and communal art practices sets a new standard for what curation can—and should—achieve in the 21st Century.
Marc Payot
Payot’s influence also extends to more accessible corners of the market. On our side of the pond, he launched Hauser & Wirth’s first editions and prints showcase in New York, catering to collectors looking for entry-level acquisitions. Then there’s the public programming and the community initiatives that have become something of a hallmark of the gallery. Payot is leading the charge to ensure that Hauser & Wirth’s reach extends beyond sales, making contemporary art accessible to a broader range of audiences.
“This is not about money or making a profit; it’s about creating a platform for the voice of the artist through a range of activities that amplify that voice across channels and generations,” he told Observer late last year. With his blend of bold expansion and inclusive programming, Payot is shaping Hauser & Wirth’s influence for the long haul and, through an expansive strategic vision, helping to redefine what an art gallery can be.
Patricia Phelps de Cisneros
Phelps de Cisneros has also been a vocal advocate for women in Latin American art—a cause she underscored in a recent speech at the Pérez Art Museum Miami, where she celebrated the often-overlooked impact of female artists in the region. This dedication to amplifying underrepresented voices and re-centering art history is a hallmark of her approach, reinforcing her legacy as a champion for Latin American cultural narratives. Through the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros loan program, Cisneros is furthering her influence by lending key works by Latin American masters like Jesús Rafael Soto and Carlos Cruz-Diez to museums worldwide in an initiative that not only supports cross-cultural dialogue but also guarantees that Latin American art remains accessible and relevant on the global stage.
“Heading into 2025, the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros is working to address the challenges of preserving born-digital materials and archives related to Latin American art and culture,” she tells Observer. “Through this new initiative and by collaborating with library and museum networks, we’re ensuring the presence, accessibility and longevity of these resources. This bilingual effort is designed to support scholars, educators and anyone curious to learn more about art, bridging cultural and language gaps and building a sustainable model for sharing and preserving these digital resources.” With this focus on education, representation and accessibility, Phelps de Cisneros is setting a lasting standard for how private collections can influence and expand the art market.
François Pinault
His commitment to inclusivity and the exploration of complex themes has positioned the Bourse (which he has called “the spearhead of contemporary art” and “a path to the future in the heart of Paris”) as a stage for conversations that go beyond the canvas. Pinault’s eye for contemporary figurative art also sets him apart. Through exhibitions of work by young talents like Ser Serpas and Xinyi Cheng, he provides a high-profile platform for artist discovery. Many Pinault Collection shows foster dialogue between established icons like Cy Twombly and new voices shaping the evolution of contemporary art.
But Pinault’s influence extends across France and into the nations beyond, as he’s helped facilitate many, many exhibitions at other venues via extensive loans from his collection, underscoring his mission to make his collection accessible on an international scale. There’s no doubt he’ll continue to reshape the art market with a legacy that’s as much about cultural engagement as it is about his collection.
Abby Pucker
Among her initiatives is Chicago Exhibition Weekend, which saw more than 50 galleries participate in its second edition in 2024. With support from EXPO CHICAGO, the event connected local artists and galleries with collectors from all over, elevating Chicago’s status in a too-often geo-fixated art world. And her “Next Stop: Chicago” public art series launched just ahead of the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
Pucker is also the voice whispering in the ears of tomorrow’s serious art collectors. Her EarlyWork, another Gertie initiative, brings a fresh approach to art collecting by engaging young professionals through accessible programming and collection visits, effectively cultivating the next generation of Chicago collectors. “When I moved back and started this listening tour to understand what was missing here—why there wasn’t cohesive or youthful energy like I found in L.A. or New York—I realized that there’s so much happening in Chicago, but people don’t know how to access it,” she told Observer earlier this year. In a market that often feels exclusive, EarlyWork’s programming demystifies art collecting and offers support to local galleries by encouraging sustainable new patronage.
Mitchell and Emily Rales
Their vision for Glenstone goes far beyond their collection; the museum’s Pavilions showcase single-artist exhibitions in dedicated spaces that Mitchell and Emily help design alongside the featured artists. This hands-on approach has brought in groundbreaking installations by artists like Robert Gober, Brice Marden and Pipilotti Rist, adding depth to each artist’s legacy in a way few private institutions can achieve.
The Raleses’ “slow collecting” philosophy means Glenstone isn’t chasing trends but instead considering works from an art historical perspective, building comprehensive collections of the artists they acquire that function like retrospectives. This thoughtful approach allows the couple to present each artist’s full creative evolution. With deep pockets and discerning eyes, the Raleses, via Glenstone, have created a model of private museum sustainability their peers can and should learn from.
Magnus Renfrew
Through The Art Assembly, Renfrew has crafted a year-round, Asia-Pacific circuit of six fairs that encourages cross-market collaboration and attracts emerging collectors—a blueprint that has turned local scenes into global players. Renfrew’s expansion efforts didn’t stop in Singapore. In 2023, he launched Tokyo Gendai, a fair designed to bolster Japan’s status as a major force in contemporary art while also introducing Japanese artists to an international audience hungry for fresh perspectives and setting the stage for lasting cross-cultural exchange. The fair is young, but according to Renfrew is “playing a big role in Japan’s art scene” by providing an international platform to put global talent in front of a global audience.
Renfrew’s vision also extends to the digital realm. ART SG’s REFRAME sector provides a serious platform for digital, new media and NFT art, showing these new media alongside traditional forms and fostering conversations on their evolving role in the art market. With his knack for spotting and supporting regional growth, Renfrew is shaping the future of the global art landscape, one ambitious fair at a time.
Tina Rivers Ryan
“Artforum remains committed to platforming marginalized voices and holding space for endangered concepts, including the very notions of art and critical inquiry,” Ryan tells Observer. “We will continue to fiercely advocate for creative and critical practices on an international scale.”
Through numerous lectures and articles and her past curation at Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Ryan has contextualized digital art within an art historical narrative, deepening the critical discourse around new media. Her academic approach has provided digital art with an air of legitimacy that many thought was out of reach, connecting digital art to larger artistic questions and fostering greater institutional recognition.
Ryan’s changing relationship with NFTs has been emblematic of her academic rigor; once a skeptic, she started advocating for NFT curation with standards that extended beyond the once-raging market hype and into institutions, influencing how the public viewed blockchain art and making it more than just a commodity. Ryan is poised to continue to influence the art world, steering it toward a richer cultural legacy.
Annabelle Selldorf
But Selldorf’s impact is hardly confined to New York. Across the Atlantic, she’s steering the first phase of London’s National Gallery’s 200th-anniversary overhaul, complete with an “enhanced arrival experience” and gleaming new amenities in the Sainsbury Wing—improvements that sound suspiciously like they’d be more at home in a luxury airport lounge than a 19th-century gallery. “In 2025, our office’s work will come to fruition with two major milestones,” Selldorf tells Observer, with a tone of practiced humility. “The reopening of the Frick Collection in New York… and the completion of phase one at the National Gallery in London.” Selldorf’s expansion work at the Art Gallery of Ontario, a cool 40,000 square feet of it, offers further proof of her ability to make heritage sites fit for modern-day patrons without breaking a sweat—or breaking tradition, at least not obviously.
Selldorf’s designs don’t just house art collections; they transform the entirety of the viewing experience, quietly demanding visitors notice the space as much as the art on view. And in an industry fixated on appearances, Selldorf is raising the stakes—not with grand gestures, but with her skill for putting art first that institutions can’t resist.
Alain Servais
In 2025, Servais tells Observer that he aims to continue supporting contemporary art worldwide through acquisitions that serve two purposes: to preserve meaningful art for future generations and to keep artists and galleries afloat a little longer. “This may sound naive,” he says, “but it’s important to understand that it’s different from joining glamorous institutional committees or buying branded trophies from wealthy artists.”
Instead of building a “mausoleum to my ‘talent’” in the form of a private museum, Servais lends pieces from his Servais Family Collection—intentionally eclectic and largely devoid of paintings—to institutions and biennials—a contribution he sees as essential yet obstructed by ideological resistance. He remarks that many museums “still live in a past where they were the unilateral prescriptors of public collections,” a stance that doesn’t reflect the evolving role of private collectors amid shrinking public funds.
Komal Shah
Shah, who has held executive positions in the male-dominated tech world at companies like Yahoo, Netscape and Oracle, has amassed a personal art collection that speaks volumes, quite literally: it’s filled with large-format works by women, including powerhouse pieces by Firelei Báez and Mary Weatherford, challenging outdated notions of scale and ambition in female-created art. Her dedication to visibility doesn’t stop there—her book, Making Their Mark: Art by Women in the Shah Garg Collection, co-produced with art historians, serves as both a scholarly text and an advocacy tool, bringing critical essays and historical context to the forefront of a conversation the art world has avoided having for far too long.
A frequent speaker at art fairs and events like the Armory Show, Shah uses every platform that welcomes her to advocate for greater gender equity and inclusivity in art collections. She’s not just influencing what’s on museum walls; she’s setting a new standard for collectors and institutions alike. With her strategic philanthropy, feminist approach to collecting and public advocacy, Shah is helping to build a future where women artists receive the recognition—and the exhibition space—they deserve.
Angelle Siyang-Le
But let’s not mistake her maneuvers as merely catering to the youthful whimsy of the TikTok generation. She’s rolled up her sleeves and integrated the local cultural scene with Para Site’s Film sector involvement, lending a faint air of intellectual legitimacy that Hong Kong’s older money can nod along to approvingly. That Great Bay outreach? It’s a calculating hand extended to the region’s rising crop of nouveau riche—an international, cosmopolitan crowd who buy the art that speaks to them in the language of status and jet-setting culture. Siyang-Le knows her audience, and she’s playing the long game, aligning Art Basel with the power players of tomorrow.
As for 2025’s return to the pre-pandemic peak, the numbers speak volumes. Hosting 242 galleries and patrons from 72 countries with an Asia-Pacific majority is no accident—it’s a pointed message. Under Siyang-Le’s watch, Art Basel Hong Kong has muscled its way to becoming the face of Asia’s art market, not as a regional fair but as an indisputable powerhouse that puts Hong Kong in the driver’s seat of the global scene. There’s no sentimentalism here, just a fiercely pragmatic director who’s fine-tuning her fair’s identity with surgical precision, all while watching as the old guard struggles to keep up.
Marc Spiegler
Spiegler’s influence extends to his strategic embrace of blockchain technology and digital tools. As a co-founder of Arcual along with MCH Group and the Luma Foundation, he’s done his part to help bring transparency and security to art transactions, addressing long-standing issues in digital rights management. His focus on tech innovation continued with his participation in last year’s ArtTech Forum, where he tackled A.I.’s potential to reshape artistic practices, and the Art for Tomorrow conference, where he urged fairs to adopt digital frameworks to attract diverse audiences.
Now, as a board member of immersive arts company Superblue, Spiegler’s commitment to expanding how audiences experience art is clear. His blend of forward-thinking tech initiatives, strategic expansion and commitment to broad accessibility suggest that he will remain a crucial figure as the art world continues rapidly expanding into new geographic regions and digital spaces.
Looking ahead, Spiegler tells the Observer the next year will be “super busy,” with the opening of Casa Sanlorenzo in Venice, the launch of an online course on the art world’s rapid evolution, a visiting professorship at Milan’s Bocconi University and a long-range project within Prada Group. “My 2025 is a varied mix of art, music, technology and education,” he says.
Rand Suffolk
That commitment to accessibility and relevance has paid off with results that are hard to ignore: in 2023, the museum reported that 57 percent of visitors were BIPOC and an impressive 58 percent were under 35, making it a model for engaging diverse and younger audiences in a city that demands it. “Changes like these have been remarkably affirming,” he told Observer earlier this year. “Equally humbling and important, however, has been the willingness of these same visitors to support us via membership. Over the past seven years, we’ve seen our membership jump from 26,000 households to over 41,000. That’s a nearly 60 percent increase.”
Through the David C. Driskell Prize, Suffolk has further amplified Black artists, but his vision isn’t just keeping the High Museum relevant; it’s setting a new standard for American museums in the 21st Century. (Artnet News called the impact of that vision a “valuable case study” in audience diversification.) As other institutions take note, Suffolk’s influence will continue to ripple across the art market, ensuring that inclusivity and representation become more than just institutional talking points.
Jonathan Travis
But Travis’ influence goes beyond real estate deals. Known for his early support of emerging artists, his own art collection emphasizes the cultural impact of young talent over quick returns. “These works often represent moments in time and history and hopefully the art that we collect and exhibit reflects that and allows people to see that moment—not from a news or historical perspective, but from an art perspective,” he told Observer earlier this year. This commitment to opening doors for a new generation extends to his Wolf Hill Residency, a program he co-founded with Ethan Rafii to provide upstate studio space and exhibition opportunities for emerging artists, with proceeds benefiting both the artists and select charities. According to Travis, they’ve sold out, or nearly sold out, every show they’ve put on.
Recognized by platforms like Commercial Observer and Apollo for his influence in the art world, Travis has earned his reputation as “the go-to real estate broker of the New York art world,” as he was dubbed by Larry’s List. His ability to see beyond square footage and into the artistic potential of a neighborhood suggests he’ll remain a formidable figure in the market, shaping the art scene for years to come.
Jasmine Wahi
Wahi’s influence goes well beyond gallery walls—her co-organized “BODY FREEDOM FOR EVERY(BODY),” a mobile exhibition on reproductive rights, hit the streets in September, bringing advocacy directly to the public, starting with an attention-grabbing launch in Times Square ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Wahi’s impact isn’t limited to exhibitions. As an educator at Brooklyn College and a mentor with the ART FORWARD program, she’s fostering a new generation of artists and curators with a focus on diverse voices and bold perspectives. Talks like her recent Yaseen Lecture at the Neuberger Museum of Art at Purchase College, SUNY, offer yet another platform for her to champion feminism and body freedom, topics that resonate with her mission to reshape societal norms within the art world.
In an industry often more comfortable with the status quo, Wahi’s activist approach to curation is a breath of fresh air and her work ensures she’ll remain a force to be reckoned with. As long as issues related to female power, autonomy and representation remain on the frontlines of our collective consciousness, expect that Wahi’s influence will continue to ripple through the market.
Darren Walker
His tenure at the Ford Foundation has been defined by socially conscious philanthropy; while boosting the organization’s endowment by nearly $6 billion, he doubled grants to communities of color. But Walker’s impact extends well beyond dollars and cents. Through the Ford Foundation, he funded a landmark acquisition for the National Gallery, bringing in the Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection, one of the most important assemblages of 19th- and early 20th-century African American vernacular photography. His fund also backed the groundbreaking “Afro-Atlantic Histories” exhibition, a profound exploration of the African diaspora’s legacy that challenged how museums narrate history.
Recently appointed the first African American president of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Walker will no doubt bring a fresh urgency to the institution’s approach to diversity and sustainability while expanding the museum’s philanthropic reach. And Walker’s board roles, from the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies to Art Bridges, show his commitment to democratizing art access and elevating minority perspectives. More than just a new voice in an old institution, he’s setting the standard for art-world leadership in the 21st Century.
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