ArtReview, an international contemporary art magazine based in London, has released its annual “Power 100” list, which includes individuals who have significantly impacted the contemporary art world over the past year, ranging from collectors, artists, critics, and curators to museum officials. Among the Koreans, artist Haegue Yang and Hyun-Sook Lee, founder and chairwoman of Kukje Gallery, were named on the list. Internationally active figures of Korean descent, Doryun Chong, the deputy director of M+ in Hong Kong, and Byung-chul Han, a former professor at the Berlin University of the Arts, were also listed.

Internationally renowned artist Haegue Yang secured the 71st spot this year. ArtReview mentioned Yang’s recent exhibitions worldwide, including those at SMAK – Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art in Ghent, Belgium, the Pinacoteca de São Paulo’s new contemporary museum in Brazil, the Helsinki Art Museum, and the National Gallery of Australia. Yang received recognition in 2017 when she became the first Asian female artist to be awarded the prestigious Wolfgang Hahn Prize in Germany and the Korea Culture and Arts Award (Presidential Commendation) from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea.

Hyun-Sook Lee, founder and chairwoman of Kukje Gallery, has been named on the list for the ninth consecutive year and ranked 92nd this year. She first entered the “Power 100” in 2015 at 82nd place, and since then, she has consistently maintained a presence, ranking 77th in 2016, 79th in 2017, 68th in 2018, 60th in 2019, 83rd in 2020, 79th in 2021, and 75th in 2022. ArtReview explained that having worked with leading artists worldwide for over 40 years, Hyun-Sook Lee has always been a true pioneer in the industry.

Doryun Chong, the deputy director and chief curator of M+ in Hong Kong, jointly secured the 17th position with Suhanya Raffel, the museum director of M+. M+ is a cultural landmark in Hong Kong, attracting 2.2 million visitors last year. The importance of M+ lies in rewriting the history of 20th- and 21st-century visual arts centered around Asia, presenting a new perspective of popular interest and art historical significance. Last November through March, Chong successfully led the retrospective exhibition of Kusama Yayoi.

Former Berlin University of the Arts professor Byung-Chul Han rose from 48th place last year to 24th this year. He had previously ranked 62nd in 2020 and 55th in 2021. Although not a figure from the art world, his writings have significantly impacted the works of artists and curators. ArtReview introduced Han for “his major contribution to contemporary discourse has been to call out the self-exploitation that he sees as rampant in everything from late capitalist work ethic to social media” and noted that his writings “have made him a regular reference for artists and curators.” Byung-Chul Han recently released a new book titled Die Krise der Narration (2023), which is expected in English and other languages next year.

Since 2002, ArtReview has annually invited experts from around the world to determine the ranking of the most influential art figures globally. They select 100 individuals based on their influence and activity in the contemporary art world over the year.

References

• ArtReview, 2023 Power 100