The Craig Robins Collection
What would Miami’s Design District be without Craig Robins? Possibly nothing. Robins helped persuade Art Basel to plant itself in Miami when they were scouting on American shores, and then ushered in Design Miami/ at first in the then-derelict Design District, which now, under his direction, is the year-round cultural focal point of Miami between the design ateliers and the art institutions, like the ICA Miami.
Robins is a real-estate developer, art collector and, at this point, de facto urban planner who’s had the hand in building out not just the Design District but the revitalization of South Beach. During the Miami Art Week, the Design District will see a slew of art activations, including the Germane Barnes’s 2022 Miami Design District Annual Design Commission, as well as 100 Years from Gagosian Gallery and Jeffrey Deitch.
We’ve seen Miami explode as a cultural destination because of art and design, and with the 20th anniversary of ABMB, how can art and design transform a city?
Art, design, and culture are things that bring people together. When you build a community with elements that unite, it has resonance and power.
When Art Basel was looking for a second city for a second fair, I lobbied for Miami. I worked closely with Sam Keller, Norman Braman and the city to build bridges and to underscore where collaboration and partnerships could be developed to create something exceptional for the art world and for Miami.
As a show of support for the nascent event which began in 2001, the Miami Design District created a robust program of complementary programming and became the central hub for ancillary exhibitions, academic talks, and parties. This led to the creation in 2005 of the annual collectible design fairs Design Miami/ and Design Miami/Basel, both produced concurrently with Art Basel.
I knew that bringing the art fair here could elevate Miami on the international stage and really build it into the cultural powerhouse it rightly deserved to be. Before the art fair came here, people knew Miami for sun and sand. Now, it’s a global destination. They come here to see important works of art, to discover new creative minds, and to visit world-class cultural institutions.
I think this model—where a city brings and welcomes culturally significant events and happenings and makes them available and open to its immediate community—is a successful one that can be repeated in many cities across the globe.
The Craig Robins Collection
What’s the future of the arts and design in Miami?
The key is to always be evolving. If Miami keeps innovating and keeps pushing boundaries, it will remain culturally relevant. I think it will do that. Miami has become one of the world’s cultural capitals over the past two decades and from within this nexus of commerce, creativity, and multiculturalism, we’ve seen a real Miami point of view emerge. Miami is a city of the moment and the future.
We’ve been doing our part in the Miami Design District since the beginning. All of our efforts give the neighborhood a special sense of place. Hopefully, this will influence others around the world. The neighborhood works to be an outdoor museum and has a year-long roster of exhibitions and cultural programming. We are continually integrating public art throughout the neighborhood and we serve as boosters for the cultural institutions and creators that call the District home.
What challenges does Miami face in terms of the arts/design?
I don’t see challenges. I see opportunities. There is tremendous demand and interest in the market for art, design, and cultural programming and the key is to keep delivering it.
Some cities are hubs for art/design but not the market. What makes Miami ripe for both?
In Miami, there is a confluence of capital, collectors, and a thriving cultural landscape. It’s a multicultural city serving as a gateway to Latin America but also attracting attention and building deep bonds with Europe and other key markets around the globe. I think all these conditions give Miami both curatorial and commercial clout in the art market.
