Celebrating Design Miami's 10th anniversary, new executive director Rodman Primack is pioneering the future of the design universe.
Rodman Primack at the 4141 Building
In typical Miami fashion, Design Miami’s recent appointment of Rodman Primack as its executive director was a departure from the traditional. In his new role, Primack draws from a CV that spans architecture (junior designer, Peter Marino Architect), design (chairman, Phillips de Pury, London—now Phillips), interiors (founder, RP Miller Design), and art (specialist of Latin American art, Christie’s), to name just a few of his past titles.
How has your unconventional background prepared you for your new role at Design Miami?
I have this very diverse background that has always folded over design. Even when I was working for Larry Gagosian, we did one of the first shows Larry did with furniture with Patrick Seguin [at Gagosian Gallery] in LA with [ Jean] Prouvé and [Charlotte] Perriand. Having a bit of a decorator and contemporary art background gives me a broad view of the marketplace and how collectors look at this market. [Also], I’ve been to every edition of the fair, at times as a competitor, an advisor, or a collector, and even an exhibitor. So my understanding and knowledge of the fair comes from different perspectives.
What’s new this year?
We’re introducing Design Curio, an invitational program geared toward the broader design community. Institutions, galleries, designers—they’re micro-groups that together will show interesting trends that are happening in design outside of collectible design or furniture. In honor of our 10-year anniversary, we are looking forward at the next 10 years [with] a new award, Design Visionary. The award recognizes people who have made an impact in the design world in a broader way. This year, we are giving it to Peter Marino
What’s the relationship between the city and the fair?
I first started coming to Miami in the late ’90s with Christie’s. Art Basel, Design Miami, and other fairs have had such a huge impact on the way the city sees itself. Today, when you go to the fair, you have a very polished, sophisticated experience, which reflects what’s happening to Miami in general.
What pieces would we find in your personal collection?
My husband and I have such varied tastes [in our homes in] Miami, Guatemala, and New York. We have works of Perriand and Jean Prouvé. We love Memphis [from] Michele De Lucchi, [and] contemporary work from David Wiseman. And then art: Gabriel Orozco, Marilyn Minter. I live what I’m preaching. Design Miami takes place December 3-7 at a new exhibition venue at Meridian Avenue and 19th Street