And more of this week's top reads  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

September 19, 2026 THE COVER STORY Introducing TIME's 100 Most Influential People in Art BY SAM JACOBS Editor in Chief, TIME If I had to pick my favorite cover of TIME since I started working here in 2013 (thanks for asking!), it would be from the April 27, 2020 issue, which features an image made by the French artist and TIME contributor JR. Created with Paris in quarantine at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the 15-by-21-ft. artwork was formed by pasting long strips on the pavement of a quiet street in the 19th arrondissement at 5:30 in the morning. JR photographed the work at 9:30 that night after waiting for it to dry. It shows a person peeking through what look like window blinds, an image now both familiar and haunting. Feet away, a solitary woman walks by, her mask firmly in place. Looking at that photograph today brings me back to the uncertainty of that moment. It also reminds me of the creative spirit that pulled us through it. That is what art can do, and TIME has been collaborating with artists like JR for over a century. Among the greats who have created TIME covers are Andy Warhol, Marc Chagall, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, and Robert Rauschenberg. Starting in 1978, TIME began donating many works in its collection to the National Portrait Gallery, which today holds more than 2,000 pieces first published by the magazine. Still, it has been 50 years since a living painter has been solo on the magazine’s cover. Until this week. Painter Amy Sherald appears on the new cover following a blockbuster two-year, four-museum tour of her work. Her presence announces the launch of TIME100 Art, our inaugural effort recognizing the most influential people in fine art today. The project was led by Merrill Fabry. We received strategic advice from Keith Fox, the former CEO of art publisher Phaidon. Over recent months we have been seeking out the leaders who shape art, with an eye to find those who are writing the field’s most important headlines. Hito Steyerl and Refik Anadol help us understand the potential of new technology to change the world—for better or worse. Jenny Holzer and Maurizio Cattelan provoke us to ask important questions. JR and Sheila Hicks enable us to connect with our physical senses. And others, like Jeffrey Gibson and Simone Leigh, shape and share our cultural histories. And artists don’t work in a vacuum. They are supported by a massive ecosystem, from philanthropists and nonprofits who fund work, to gallerists and advisers who shape careers, to curators, museum leaders, and beyond. Half of the people on this list are not artists themselves. They make art possible. I hope you’ll check out the full list today. 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Download Now What I’ve been reading this week The Earthshot Prize Is Embracing the Idea of Positive Tipping Points The goal with supporting these initiatives, says Jason Knauf, CEO of the Earthshot Prize, is to help "tip these global systems in the right direction."   How Zoe Kazan Made 'East of Eden' Her Own The writer on adapting the John Steinbeck novel Elia Kazan made into a classic movie, centering Cathy's story, and that Taylor Swift tweet.   A Genetic Mutation May Help Explain Lung Cancer in Nonsmokers A rare mutation could help to explain why some people who don’t smoke still develop lung cancer.   Column: How the 1980s Permanently Shaped America The 1980s both revitalized American business and destabilized American workers, writes Jonathan Kaufman.   SPONSORED Turn AI into Your Income Engine Ready to transform artificial intelligence from a buzzword into your personal revenue generator HubSpot’s groundbreaking guide "200+ AI-Powered Income Ideas" is your gateway to financial innovation in the digital age. 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