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The 100 Most Powerful Women in Art: Part I

We celebrate women making a difference.

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Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi
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Marina Abramović: The self-proclaimed "grandmother of performance art," Abramović is known for using her body as both subject and medium
Photo: Patrick McMullan
Sheikha Mayassa Al-Thani.
Photo: Brigitte Lacombe via DFI.
Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi
Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi: President of the Sharjah Art Foundation, she also sits on the board of MoMA PS1, was on the curatorial selection committee for the 2012 Berlin Biennale, and will curate the United Arab Emirates pavilion at the 2015 Venice Biennale.
Photo: Courtesy of Sharjah Art Foundation
Maria Baibakova: An influential presence on the contemporary art scene in both Russia and the US, Baibakova is a collector, patron, and founder of Baibakov Art Projects
Photo: Patrick McMullan
bambi-gaga-street-art
Bambi: Dubbed “The Female Banksy”, Bambi is an anonymous female street artist located in London
Courtesy the artist, Walton Fine Arts
Phyllida Barlow is one of the four shortlisted artists
Photo: Courtesy Hauser & Wirth
Iwona Blazwick: Director of the Whitechapel Gallery. Photo: Courtesy Whitechapel Gallery
Marianne Boesky: The owner of an eponymous New York gallery, which represents Barnaby Furnas, Roxy Paine, and several other influential artists
Karen Boros: Berlin-based art collector and art historian
Photo: Nick Ash
Caroline Bourgeois: Curator who manages and exhibits the François Pinault Foundation’s video collection
Photo: Patrick McMullan
Jinqing Caroline Cai: Managing Director of Christie’s China
Photo: Christie's
Melissa Chiu: Director of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Photo: Ashley Gilbertson via Smithsonian
Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev: Curator, author, and researcher. In 2012 Art Review named her the most powerful person in the art world. Between 2008 and 2012 she was the artistic director of dOCUMENTA(13)
Sadie Coles: British art dealer and owner of Sadie Coles HQ, a contemporary art gallery in London
Photo: Bryan Adams
Paula Cooper.
Photo: Helen Klisser During.
Maike Cruse: Director of Art Berlin Contemporary. Photo: Wolfgang Stahr.
Bice Curiger: Curator at the Kunsthaus Zürich since 1993. Cofounder and editor-in-chief of Parkett, a contemporary art magazine, and publishing director of the Tate Etc magazine produced by the Tate Gallery in London. Courtesy Venice Tourism.
Bice Curiger: Curator at the Kunsthaus Zürich since 1993. Cofounder and editor-in-chief of Parkett, a contemporary art magazine, and publishing director of the Tate Etc magazine produced by the Tate Gallery in London. Courtesy Venice Tourism.
Clarissa Dalrymple: Independent curator and New York gallerist credited for having curated early exhibitions of contemporary artists in the US such as Damien Hirst
Photo: Patrick McMullan
Nathalie de Gunzburg: Chairman of the Dia Art Foundation with sites in New York City, Beacon, and Utah
Photo: Patrick McMullan
Donna De Salvo: Chief curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art, she is an expert on the work of Andy Warhol
Photo: Getty
Lisa Dennison: Chair of Sotheby’s North and South America, focusing on international business development
Photo: Patrick McMullan
Maryam Eisler: Collector and patron of the arts, Eisler has close affiliations with the British Museum’s Middle Eastern Patrons group
Photo: Nazy Nazhand for artnet
Shelley Fox Aarons: An avid art collector, particularly interested in new and emerging artists
Photo: Kevin Mertens for L’ArcoBaleno
Susanne Gaensheimer: Art historian currently the Director of Museum für Moderne Kunst (MMK) in Frankfurt/Main
Photo: Gaby Gerster
Michelle Grabner: Artist and co-curator of the 2014 Whitney Biennial
Photo: Patrick McMullan
Isa Genzken: German artist whose broad spectrum of work encompasses paintings, photographs, collages, drawings, artist’s books, films, and three-dimensional works
Claire Gilman: Curator at The Drawing Center in New York
Barbara Gladstone: Art dealer and owner of Gladstone Gallery in New York
Photo: Patrick McMullan
Ingvild Goetz: Owner of the internationally renowned Goetz Collection. Courtesy Sammlung Goetz
RoseLee Goldberg: Founder of Performa, a nonprofit arts organization for the research, development, and presentation of performance art
Photo: Patrick McMullan.

There are so many ways to exercise influence and power in the art world but one thing is abundantly clear: Women play a leading role. artnet News continues its yearlong celebration of women in the art world with “The 100 Most Powerful Women in Art.” Our list, which is divided into three parts, is arranged alphabetically to avoid the perception of a ranking: We are celebrating the achievements of women in the art world, period. The list was developed in consultation with art world denizens throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States. They helped us compile a working list of the most powerful women in the art business. From the initial list of more than 300 names, the editors at artnet News chose 100. Read on below and in reports over the next week to find out who is playing at the top of her game.

1. Marina Abramović, Artist
2. Sheikha Al-Mayassa, Chairperson of Qatar Museums
3. Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi, President of Sharjah Art Foundation
4. Maria Baibakova, Founder of Baibakov Art Projects
5. Bambi, Artist
6. Phyllida Barlow, Artist
7. Iwona Blazwick, Director of Whitechapel Gallery
8. Marianne Boesky, Gallerist
9. Karen Boros, Collector
10. Caroline Bourgeois, Curator
11. Jinqing Caroline Cai, Managing Director of Christie’s China
12. Melissa Chiu, Director of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
13. Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, Curator and Author
14. Sadie Coles, Gallerist
15. Paula Cooper, Gallerist
16. Maike Cruse, Director of Gallery Weekend Berlin and Art Berlin Contemporary
17. Bice Curiger, Curator at the Kunsthaus Zürich
18. Clarissa Dalrymple, Curator
19. Nathalie De Gunzburg, Chairman of Dia Art Foundation
20. Donna De Salvo, Chief Curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art
21. Lisa Dennison, Chair of Sotheby’s North and South America
22. Maryam Eisler, Collector
23. Tracey Emin, Artist
24. Jennifer Flay, Director of FIAC
25. Shelley Fox Aarons, Collector
26. Susanne Gaensheimer, Director of Museum für Moderne Kunst
27. Michelle Grabner, Artist and 2014 Whitney Biennial curator
28. Isa Genzken, Artist
29. Claire Gilman, Curator at The Drawing Center
30. Barbara Gladstone, Gallerist
31. Ingvild Goetz, Collector
32. RoseLee Goldberg, Founder of Performa

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