The Most Important Artists of 2013 (So Far)

These creators have led the way this year.

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2013 has brought with it a number of exhibitions, art fairs, and art pieces that have challenged everything that came before them. Just yesterday, Jay-Z did a performance art piece at Pace Gallery in New York, where he performed the song "Picasso Baby" off of his new album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, for six hours. At one point, Marina Abramovic joined him to create an unmatched moment of synergy between the mediums of hip-hop and performance art. In short, no art moment in 2013 has been like the next, and many of the shows that have happened so far have set precedents for future ways of showing work (like Donald Judd's 101 Spring Street art-house) or are starting conversations for exhibitions to come (like Jeff Koons' exhibitions at David Zwirner and Gagosian, in preparation for his 2014 retrospective at the Whitney).

Despite our inclusion of many of "the greats" this time around, there are many artists who are just heating up and could feasibly own the rest of 2013. Ryder Ripps completed an impressive "Hypercurrentliving" project with Red Bull (where he drank Red Bull at their headquarters and came up with groundbreaking ideas on Twitter for a few weeks), Os Gemeos announced their collaboration with HennessyShepard Fairey expressed solidarity with the protests in Turkey through a portrait of Ataturk (that he released for free online), and Florentijn Hofman made headlines with his giant inflatable duck sculpture (that subsequently deflated, of course) in Hong Kong.

Throughout the list, there are artists who not only pushed the limits of art but also seemingly pushed their own limits. Enjoy The Most Important Artists of 2013 (So Far).

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25. Jay Shells

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24. Anish Kapoor

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23. Brian Eno

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22. Kenny Scharf

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21. Marc Quinn

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20. Takashi Murakami

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19. James Franco

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18. El Anatsui

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17. Tracey Emin

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16. Tom Friedman

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15. Barbara Kruger

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14. FAILE

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13. Marina Abramovic

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13. Marina Abramovic

Exhibitions: Announced that she will create a movie about James Franco's life (February 25), impromptu appearence in Jay-Z's performance art piece at Pace Gallery (July 10)

In early March, Marina Abramovic was honored at Mana Contemporary's first annual Collector's Dinner for her contributions to performance art and visual culture. At the dinner, she discussed the progress her Marina Abramovic Institute in Hudson, NY has made, and how it will truly act as a space to explore and participate in performance unlike ever before. She also announced real plans to make a movie about James Franco's life, which she apparently has full creative control over.

The art world has been hanging on to her every word, despite the fact that she's had no exhibitions this year (not counting her standout pieces with Sean Kelly Gallery at Frieze New York and Art Basel), and just yesterday, she surprised literally EVERYONE with an appearance at Jay-Z's performance art taping at Pace Gallery. The two rotated around one another on a platform, making history as rap and performance art met fully, perhaps for the first time in such an institutional setting. For someone as established and seemingly transcendent as Marina Abramovic, a performance with Jay-Z isn't exactly unexpected, but it was more momentous than anyone could have imagined. She continues to remain important, in and out of the art world, and Robert Wilson's theatrical piece about the artist,  "The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic" at the Park Avenue Armory (December 12-21), couldn't come soon enough. -Cedar Pasori

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12. Imran Qureshi

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11. Richard Mosse

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11. Richard Mosse

Exhibitions: The Enclave at the Venice Biennale 2013 (The Irish Pavilion)

Richard Mosse has been documenting the Congo in his captivating infrared style for a long time, but the premiere of The Enclave film at the Venice Biennale's Irish Pavilion, using a discontinued Kodak infrared film called Aerochrome (originally used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War), struck people in a way that's brought much-needed attention to these pieces.

He continues to show the war-torn region in a way that exposes "the impossible image," in addition to what we overlook in our surroundings. Yes, Rick Ross was smart to invest in a Mosse photograph at last year's Art Basel Miami Beach, and thankfully the arrival of The Enclave reminded everyone why Mosse's work deserves to be admired and analyzed. -Cedar Pasori

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10. KAWS

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9. Tino Sehgal

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9. Tino Sehgal

Exhibitions: Ann Lee at Frieze New York 2013 (originally from 2011), L'opera alla Biennale di Venezia 2013 at the Venice Biennale 2013

Sehgal blew up the Internet when he won the Venice Biennale Golden Lion this year, and it wasn't because he had just received a prestigious award. When he posed for a photograph with the Golden Lion trophy, he made an unfogettable face that became a viral meme. Sehgal was awarded the Lion for his performance art piece representing Germany, where people hummed and beatboxed while sitting on the floor.

Sehgal is largely famous for his "constructed situations," where people follow directions given by the artist. Besides his success in Venice, Sehgal was also short-listed for the Turner Prize this year, which will be announced in October. -Leigh Silver

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8. Donald Judd

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7. Jeff Koons

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6. Keith Haring

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5. Paul McCarthy

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4. Ai Weiwei

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3. JR

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2. James Turrell

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1. Jean-Michel Basquiat

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