American painter Kerry James Marshall has been named as the most influential artist in a new list of powerful figures in the contemporary art world.
The list, composed by ArtReview, put Marshall in the number two spot of the 17th edition of its Power 100 list.
The ranking comes in the year that the artist set the auction record for the most expensive artwork ever sold by a living black artist. Marshall’s four metre wide painting Past Times was sold to Sean Combs – the musician previously known as P. Diddy – for $21.1 million in May of this year.
The list is decided by a panel of 30 artists, critics and curators who consider those who have had the most impact on art produced and exhibited over the previous year. Marshall, who has also recently had a work acquired by the Tate, produces work that regularly addresses issues of whitewashing throughout art history.
The number one place on the list went to gallerist David Zwirner, who is Marshall’s dealer. Last year Marshall appeared in the list at number 68, and Zwirner at number 5.
The third place on the list went to the #MeToo movement, the first time a movement has ever been put on the list instead of an individual or group.
Fellow new entries on the list include photographer Nan Goldin, British artist John Akomfrah and text artist Jenny Holzer.
To see the full list, visit artreview.com
