The Top Six in Art

Vanity Fair December 2013 issue

Vanity Fair polled 100 art-world insiders—mainly artists, professors of art, and curators—to name whom they consider to be the six most important living artists. Dealers and gallerists were not consulted, as they have vested (financial) interests in the livelihood of artists. The project intends to illustrate a moment in time —  What's interesting right now? And, why? Who were the top vote getters? 

VF asked 100 people which means there could have been 600 votes all told. But only 54 returned their ballots. The top vote-getter, Richter, received only 24 votes. Ellsworth Kelly received 10 votes. What does this mean for taste? for teaching? for making? 

The Most-Voted-for Artists

Gerhard Richter: 24 votes
Jasper Johns: 20 votes
Richard Serra: 19 votes
Bruce Nauman: 17 votes
Cindy Sherman: 12 votes
Ellsworth Kelly: 10 votes

Richard Serra's installation in Bilbao

In modern art we have talked about artists who break the rules. And that discussion has included the names of four of these six artists, with conversations yet to come.  Who would you include in your list of the Top Six?