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Serpentine boss tops art's power list as Hirst tumbles
Louise Jury, Chief Arts Correspondent15 Oct 2009
The joint head of the Serpentine Gallery was today named the most powerful person in the global art market.
Hans Ulrich Obrist, who works with the gallery's director Julia Peyton-Jones on its exhibition programme, soared from 35th place last year to topple Damien Hirst from the top slot of power brokers as identified by Art Review magazine.
The Swiss-born curator and writer is joined in the top 10 by Tate boss, Sir Nicholas Serota, in third, up a slot from last year. Whitechapel Gallery director Iwona Blazwick powered into ninth from 76th place last year. She has consolidated influence on the back of an acclaimed redevelopment of the East End gallery and as an adviser to the Greater London Authority.
The ratings of 100 dealers, collectors and artists reflect a turbulent year in the art market. The magazine plumped for Mr Obrist for his role as a "tireless advocate for contemporary art".
The British gallery leaders rub shoulders with Glenn D Lowry, director of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and collectors such as the French businessman François Pinault.
Damien Hirst falls to 48th position "after stepping away from the limelight" while his dealer Jay Jopling slips from sixth place to 14th. Charles Saatchi tumbles from 14th to 72nd - he was once number one - as a result of "lukewarm" receptions to shows in his new gallery, the magazine said. But Britain's continuing strength can be seen across the list. Ralph Rugoff, the American director of the Hayward Gallery, leaps to 33rd place from 74th while commercial dealers Sadie Coles, Victoria Miro and Nicholas Logsdail of the Lisson keep top 100 places.
An Art Review spokesman said changes in the list reflected changes in what power meant in the art world.
Top 10 for 2009
1 Hans Ulrich Obrist, pictured, co-director of exhibitions and programmes, Serpentine Gallery (35th last year)
2 Glenn D Lowry, director of the Museum of Modern Art, New York
3 Sir Nicholas Serota, director of the Tate (4)
4 Daniel Birnbaum, director of Venice Biennale (13)
5 Larry Gagosian, dealer and galleries in New York and London (2)
6 François Pinault, French collector (8)
7 Eli Broad, American collector (10)
8 Anton Vidokle, Julieta Aranda and Brian Kuan Wood, editors of e-flux journal
9 Iwona Blazwick, director of Whitechapel Gallery (76)
10 Bruce Nauman, artist (45)
