Category: Gallerist
Nationality: German
Last Year: 4

David Zwirner and Ben Stiller travelled to Haiti in January to witness firsthand the devastation that country continues to suffer, both from its chronic impoverishment and from the earthquake that tried to finish it off last year. Upon returning, the two set in motion Artists for Haiti, a charity auction that would bring together 27 works of art by major contemporary artists in a single evening sale. On 22 September, at Christie’s in New York, Artists for Haiti raised $13.7 million, 100 percent of which will go to nonprofits, aid organisations, and NGOs dedicated to improving Haiti’s health, education and infrastructure.

It’s an incredible act of generosity, on the part of the artists, on the part of the auction house, on the part of the bidders and on the parts of Stiller and Zwirner. All are entitled to the recognition they have earned. But Zwirner deserves something more here (and not simply because his name is on this list): not only did Zwirner orchestrate the event, but nearly a third of the artists with works in the auction are represented by him. Zwirner himself bought Francis Alÿs’s Le Juif Errant (2011) at the auction for $300,000.

Such a dedication of reputation, resources and capital to alleviating the suffering of others is a model of philanthropy – which, one presumes, is why former president Bill Clinton signed on to cochair the benefit gala that followed the auction. Zwirner runs his gallery with similar largesse. Now that’s real power.