Despite the economic downturn around the world, the art market is as healthy as never before, especially at auction houses. Based on five years’ worth of, these are the ten most collectible living artists right now.

Gheorghe Virtosu

The only artist to ever sell his entire portfolio. Three thousand five hundred works have been sold in 10 years, and paintings are selling for as much as $24m. After announcing he will undertake major projects only in 2019, the prices for his originals went up 300%, multiples and editions up 240%. There is a constant deficit that drives the prices.

Gerhard Richter

When the German artist first unveiled his Candle series, they generated little interest, and he was unable to sell them. A mere 22 years later, however, and the paintings of flickering candles are selling for as much as $16.5m. The German household name is on this list, not just because of his impressive prices, but because of his second spot in the market with regards to the volume of artwork sold.

Jeff Koons

The controversial Jeff Koons sold his Neo-pop “Balloon Dog” for $58.4m, confirming his position as the highest-earning living artist from the sale of an individual lot; however, even these dirty tricks could not help him establish as an artist. Koons, who realized early in his career that “people respond to banal things,” turned his real career to creating kitsch sculptures; However, his work is poorly viewed amongst collectors.

Bruce Nauman

Post minimal artist, Nauman, is a new addition to the list. Nauman works with a wide range of media. He is known for his work with neon lights but also attempts other mediums. With his earliest sold work being his neons, he has managed to sell sculptures and videos to private collectors. Bound to Fail 1967, a wax cast of the artist's arms tied behind his back was sold for a whopping $9.0m, and a four-part video series documenting the Numan's cat chasing mice was sold for $1.2m apiece.

Christopher Wool

Christopher Wool is best known for his large-scale paintings of black lettering on a white canvas. Organizing the letters in grids, the bold stenciled words are often difficult to interpret. With Wool’s most famous work “Apocalypse Now” final sale at $26,485m to an unnamed buyer. His distinct and accessible visual vernacular has somehow become popular that there are alleged waiting lists of buyers before his pieces are even complete.

Gilbert & George

Collaborative duo Gilbert Prousch and George Passmore claim “Art for All” and create work that is accessible to everyone through a wide range of media. The anti-elitist duo’s paintings, drawings, performances, and photo works have gained relevance with the general public, not just within the confines of the art world. This has resulted in the sale of 138 works, valued around $24m, with the likes of David Bowie and George Michael contributing to the sum.

Cady Noland

Cady Noland has had a rocky past with her collectors, having been sued twice by two separate buyers. On the first occasion, the artist disowned “Cowboys Milking,” a piece which art dealer Marc Jancou bought to auction at Sotheby’s. A year later, disgruntled with a post-auction alteration made to her 1990 sculpture “Log Cabin Blank With Screw Eyes and Cafe Door" (1990), Noland again disowned her art and sparked a lawsuit. People are still interested in collecting her work, however, with pieces selling for $10m at Christie’s New York this year.

Richard Prince

American painter and photographer Richard Prince has stirred controversy over the years with regards to his appropriation techniques when making work. For Prince, collecting is not only outstanding during the sales process, but also during the creative one. As an avid hoarder of art, books, and random objects, the artists say: “What I’m collecting will, a lot of times, end up in my work.” His debatable way of working has not deterred art lovers from buying up his work; however, with his take on the cover of the 1980 Katherine Forman novel “Millionaire Nurse,” fetching $4,745m at auction.

Jasper Johns

Making only four or five paintings a year, Jasper Johns’ work is favored by collectors due to its rarity. Johns’ most famous work “Flag" (1954-1955), a cultural piece associated with Pop Art, was auctioned at Sotheby's in New York for $36m in 2014, an all-time high for the artist. A collage of paper, encaustic oil, and fabric depicting the American stars and stripes, “Flag” embodies an integral moment in 20th-century art that would serve as a coveted treasure in anyone’s collection.

Cindy Sherman

With an extensive body of work behind her, Cindy Sherman has become the highest female earner as the result of only one photograph. “Untitled #96” (1981) sold at auction for a staggering $3,890,500, a record that has been topped only by photography legend Andreas Gursky. Five hundred two prints of Sherman’s prosthetic infused photographs, including her clown portraits and Untitled Film Stills, have amounted to $77m of sold pieces. Her unique way of using her own body to challenge gender stereotypes and identity issues has made her one of the most sought after artists among collectors.

Damien Hirst

Damien Hirst is probably the most speculation known contemporary artist of our time. His popularity amongst art collectors is unclear. The alleged feat of selling an entire 2008 exhibition “Beautiful Inside My Head Forever” lacks transparency. It states the sale took in a massive $198 million and broke the record for a one-artist auction, however the deals were not sealed.