7 of the richest artists alive – net worths, ranked: from Damien Hirst’s formaldehyde animals to Jeff Koons’ most expensive, US$9 million work, and Anish Kapoor – but who’s a billionaire?
Art Basel Hong Kong is back in full swing this week. The art world’s elite have already jetted in to attend VIP events, while public-attendance days begin on Thursday and end on Saturday.
Taking place at the Hong Kong Convention Exhibition and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), Art Basel Hong Kong will showcase 243 premier galleries from 40 countries. But that’s only the beginning. Around this premium international art fair has grown what has become known by some as “Hong Kong Art Month” and others as “Hong Kong Art March”, which has arguably helped the city to become the fine art hub of Asia. Throughout the month and in some cases into April, Hong Kong’s biggest art institutions are hosting their own events and celebrations, from last week’s West Kowloon Cultural District Art Week to the Art Central fair, held on the city’s iconic harbourfront the same weekend as Art Basel.
In celebration of all things art, we rounded up five of the most successful living artists in the world, according to their net worths in 2023, per Celebrity Net Worth. Here’s how they stack up.
Beyond Art Basel: 6 art events around Hong Kong to enjoy right now
7. Jasper Johns, 93
Estimated net worth: US$300 million
American painter, sculptor and printmaker Jasper Johns is widely known for his contributions to the pop art movement, which emerged in the 1950s.
His famous paintings, which incorporate familiar symbols and everyday objects, have gathered critical acclaim and record-breaking prices at auctions.
One of his most famous paintings, Flag (1983), which he created after having a dream about the American flag (a much-represented subject for this artist), sold for just over US$36 million at a Sotheby’s New York auction sale in 2014.
6. David Choe, 47
Estimated net worth: US$300 million
Korean-born American painter, muralist, graffiti artist and graphic novelist David Choe is known for his frenetic, expressive figurative paintings. His work combines traditional portraits with street art, using elements of graffiti, with pop art touches.
While his art is worth a pretty penny, much of his fortune comes from his stock in Facebook, per CNBC, which was his payment for commissioned mural work that the company asked him to paint back in 2007. Fortunately for him, he held onto the stocks that helped make him one of the richest artists alive.
What to know about Art Basel Hong Kong 2024 in its ‘first truly reopened year’
5. Jeff Koons, 69
Estimated net worth: US$400 million
Jeff Koons, known for his reproduction of balloon animals produced in stainless steel with a reflective mirror-like surface, is both one of the most famous and richest artists on the planet.
Koons’ most expensive piece ever sold is Rabbit, which went for an eye-watering US$91.1 million in 2019, per his bio and Tilsitt Gallery’s website. He has also remained a force to be reckoned within pop culture by depicting the likes of Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga over the years.
4. Damien Hirst, 58
Estimated net worth: US$700 million
British artist Damien Hirst first found success in the early 1990s as part of the Young British Artists movement. His controversial and thought-provoking installations and sculptures have captivated fans ever since – while also generating an impressive fortune.
Exploring themes of life, death and the nature of art itself, he rose to fame for a series of artworks that featured dead animals preserved in formaldehyde and shown in a clear display case, including a shark, a cow and a sheep.
Mary McCartney talks cooking for the stars in new book Feeding Creativity
3. Anish Kapoor, 69
Estimated net worth: US$700 million
British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor specialises in sculpture, installation and conceptual art. He is one of the biggest names on the fine-art scene today – and also one of the wealthiest. His reflective mirror-like sculptures are instantly recognisable.
Sky Mirror outside the Nottingham Playhouse and Cloud Gate outside Millennium Park in Chicago are just two of his many large-scale public commissions. In 2013, he became Sir Anish Kapoor after he was knighted for his services to visual arts.
2. Edward Ruscha, 86
Estimated net worth: US$1.2 billion
American artist Edward Ruscha, whose works were influenced by the pop art movement and mostly feature words and phrases, is one of the most sought-after artists in the world, also making him one of the richest. While Ruscha gained notoriety for his stark word images over the years, he is no one-trick pony either, experimenting with other visual elements in his printmaking, drawing and photography, too. TheRichest puts his net worth at a whopping US$1.2 billion.
Is AI the future of art – and will it put artists out of work?
1. John Currin, 62
Estimated net worth: US$1.4 billion
American painter John Currin, famous for his satirical figurative artworks, currently has an estimated worth of over US$1.4 billion, per TheRichest.
Often described as having a style that reflects the late Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dalí and aspects of the late US painter Margaret Keane, who created somewhat disturbing images of children, his paintings are done in a realistic style combined with warped dimensions of the human body. His most expensive painting to date, Nice ’n Easy (1999) sold for an impressive US$12 million at a at Christies, New York auction in 2016.
- With Art Basel Hong Kong in full swing, we look at some of the world’s richest artists – Jeff Bezos reportedly bought an artwork by Edward Ruscha for US$52.5 million in 2020
- Korean-born American artist David Choe’s fortune comes from stock in Facebook – his payment for a commissioned mural that the company asked him to paint in 2007