Nan Goldin’s Ascent and the Art World’s Shifting Center of Gravity
When Nan Goldin claimed the top spot on ArtReview’s Power 100, it marked more than just a personal triumph—it signaled a changing tide in the art world’s balance of influence. Goldin, renowned for her unflinching photography and activism, rose to prominence this year after a documentary spotlighted her campaign against the opioid crisis. Her influence now stretches from major retrospectives in Amsterdam to solo shows in Basel, with heavyweight galleries like Gagosian and Fraenkel backing her work.
This year’s Power 100 list tells a story: artists now dominate the rankings, with 34 individuals and four collectives in the mix, including every name in the top ten. Compare that to 2016, when fewer than a quarter of the list were artists. Gallerists, once the undisputed power brokers, now find themselves outnumbered by both artists and curators. Even as familiar names like Larry Gagosian and Hauser & Wirth remain influential, the spotlight has shifted. In today’s art world, creative voices are setting the agenda—and the power dynamic is being rewritten, one bold vision at a time.
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