Hirst falls from art power top 10

Headline-grabbing artist Damien Hirst has suffered a dramatic fall from grace according to a list of the most powerful people in contemporary art.

Hirst, who topped the poll last year, made only number 11.

ArtReview, which compiled the chart, acknowledged his success, but felt there were more influential artists.

Frenchman Francois Pinault, owner of auctioneer Christie's was first, while British collector Charles Saatchi came seventh, up 12 places on last year.

'Most influential'

It is the first time anyone outside the US and UK has topped the list, now in its fifth year.

ART'S INFLUENTIAL

• 1. Francois Pinault - French collector
• 2. Larry Gagosian - US collector
• 3. Nicholas Serota - British gallery head
• 4. Glenn Lowry - US gallery head
• 5. Sam Keller - Art fair director
• 6. Eli Broad - US collector
• 7. Charles Saatchi - British collector
• 8. Matthew Slotover and Amanda Sharp - British art fair directors
• 9. Bruce Nauman - US artist
• 10. Jeff Koons - US artist

ArtReview editor John Weich said: "With artists, we often find ourselves weighing selling success against intellectual pull."

"Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst are enormously successful artists, but time and again we came back to Nauman, the most influential artist alive."

Pinault sent shockwaves through the art world when he moved his collection to Venice after attempts to build a museum on an island in the river Seine in Paris were thwarted by bureaucracy.

China's emerging status is reflected by having three people in the top 100, while the US features 40 times and the UK 25 times.

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