Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama has made history by becoming the first African to top ArtReview’s prestigious Power 100 list, the annual ranking that identifies the most influential figures shaping the global art landscape.
The 2025 edition of the list, released on December 4, places the 38-year-old artist at the pinnacle of contemporary art influence after climbing from 14th position last year.
Mahama, who lives and works in Ghana, has spent the past decade establishing himself as one of the most visionary artists of his generation. His practice is best known for large-scale installations built from repurposed jute sacks and other industrial materials, used to interrogate themes of labour, trade and the afterlives of colonial economic systems. Beyond his artistic output, Mahama has channelled his commercial success into revitalising cultural life in northern Ghana through the creation of independent institutions such as the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art, Red Clay Studio and Nkrumah Volini. These projects, built around education, community engagement and artist-led development, have become central to his influence.
The Power 100 list is compiled annually by an anonymous panel of leading curators, academics, artists and critics. According to ArtReview, Mahama’s work over the past year has significantly shaped global conversations on the role of art in community-building and the reimagining of localised cultural infrastructures.
This year’s ranking also highlights the growing dominance of the Middle East within the international art world. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, chairperson of Qatar Museums, rose sharply to second place after ranking 21st last year. Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, director of the Sharjah Art Foundation and last year’s number one, placed third. Saudi Arabia’s minister of culture, Badr bin Abdullah Al Saud, now ranks 21st, up from 41st, reflecting ongoing state-backed cultural expansion across the Gulf.
Artists hold six of the top ten positions, a shift that underscores the increasing importance of artistic practice in shaping global discourse. Among them is Egyptian artist Wael Shawky at fourth place, Singaporean artist and filmmaker Ho Tzu Nyen at fifth after a dramatic rise from 72nd, American painter Amy Sherald at sixth, American artist Kerry James Marshall at seventh and German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans entering the top ten at tenth.
The list also shows considerable upheaval among major gallerists. Hauser & Wirth’s leadership trio have fallen from 28th to 57th, while long-established dealers such as Larry Gagosian, David Zwirner and Monika Sprüth and Philomene Magers have all dropped significantly. ArtReview attributes these shifts to financial pressures facing museums and mid-tier galleries, creating space for influential patrons. Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, appears on the list at 56 despite not featuring last year, while fashion designer Miuccia Prada has surged from 79th to 32nd.
Mahama’s achievement marks a watershed moment for the African art ecosystem. His rise to the top of the global ranking affirms the growing prominence of artistic perspectives emerging from the continent and signals a wider recognition of the cultural work taking place in and beyond traditional art capitals.
