With 33 figures from Africa, the diaspora, and the Gulf States, the 2024 Power 100 list highlights a transformative shift in the global art narrative.
Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director of Sharjah Art Foundation and the Sharjah Biennial. Photographer: Sebastian Böettcher
The ArtReview Power 100 list, published annually since 2004, offers a structural portrait of the contemporary art world, focusing on the figures who have influenced the art seen in the past year. It goes beyond simply identifying the most visible or successful individuals, aiming to capture those who shape global art narratives and foster movements. The list includes artists, curators, gallerists, funders, writers, and philosophers who impact the broader discourse surrounding art.
This week, the ArtReview Power 100 list, highlighting the most influential figures in the contemporary art world for 2024, revealed a remarkable shift in global power dynamics. Over 40 African, diaspora, Gulf States and the Global South influencers took centre stage.
These individuals are reshaping the narrative of the Global South, presenting new voices and perspectives to the global art scene. Leading the list at number 1 is Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director of Sharjah Art Foundation and the Sharjah Biennial, who rightly claims the top spot for her transformative work in the arts. Among the top 20 influential figures are notable artists, museum directors, gallerists, funders, patrons and thinkers such as Saidiya Hartman, Steve McQueen, Wael Shawski, Kerry James Marshall, John Akomfrah, Carrie Mae Weems, Achille Mbembe, Ibrahim Mahama, Koyo Kouoh, Sammy Baloji, Mark Bradford, and Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung.
The Power 100 list also includes Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Isaac Julien, Theaster Gates, Yinka Shonibare, Julie Mehretu, Fred Moten, Brook Andrew, Adriano Pedrosa, Manthia Diawara, Bose Krishnamachari, Natasha Ginwala, Reem Fadda, Azu Nwagbogu, Gabi Ngcobo, blaxTARLINES, Thiago de Paula Souza, Cercle D’Art Des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise, Badr bin Abdullah Al Saud and Darren Walker.
ArtReview views power in art as a complex system, influenced not just by the objects or exhibitions but also by the financial, political, and social networks that enable art to be seen, discussed, and consumed. The list reflects how these unseen power dynamics—rooted in systems of influence—determine what art is presented and how it is shaped. This question of art’s power is relative, influenced by individual investment, both emotional and financial, and the socio-political context of the art world.
In 2024, this context was marked by rising geopolitical tensions, including right-wing electoral victories, wars in Gaza and Ukraine, and the shift of power from the West to the South and the East. These broader political forces shaped the art world’s power and influence. ArtReview also highlights the increasing role of curators and funders as the commercial market faces economic uncertainty, with these figures gaining more control over large-scale art exhibitions.
