It’s the middle of the week at the end of a regular workday for Beatrix Ruf, director and chief curator of the Kunsthalle Zurich in Switzerland, an institution known for its compelling international contemporary art exhibitions. The sun is setting in the background, casting a shadow inside Ruf’s simply furnished office. Ruf looks relaxed in her black button-down shirt, as she casually picks up her lit cigarette, smoking it intermittently, discussing her passion for contemporary art, the significant role it plays in society, and her great admiration for artists. But there is nothing ordinary about Beatrix Ruf and the artists she works with.

She is applauded for her keen ability to recognize some of the rising stars in the contemporary art world, as well as nurturing existing relationships with many of the biggest names.

“Where Ruf goes, others follow.” That’s what ArtReview Magazine wrote in naming her the most influential person in the art world, ahead of celebrated artists, curators, museum and foundation directors, gallerists, and collectors including Tate Modern’s Nicholas Serota, Glenn D. Lowry of MoMA, and Hans-Ulrich Obrist of London’s Serpentine Gallery.