JIM WALROD

WALROD--Jim.

Our dear friend Jim Walrod died unexpectedly of natural causes on September 23rd. Jim was a unique character who embodied the spirit of New York, the city he fell in love with when he crossed the river from Jersey City to hang out at Fiorucci as a teenager. Walrod had an insatiable thirst for visual information and sparklingly original style. He drew inspiration from all New York had to offer, pounding the pavement, snapping photos of crazy stuff he saw on the streets for his legendary Instagram, everything from lamps and paintings to urban development and 'zines. A highly regarded interior designer, collector, and champion of contemporary artists, Jim was a self-taught architectural historian, critic, activist, aficionado of pop culture, curator and connector of talented people--many of whom were his devoted friends. He was protective, generous, loving, and loyal. He loved and lived both the high and the low. He was as likely to be found in a boardroom designing hotels or private airplane interiors as at a flea market or his favorite PS1 Book Fair. Widely known as a "design guru" and a "Furniture Pimp" (coined by Mike D of the Beastie Boys), he collaborated with Jean Nouvel, Richard Gluckman, Eric Goode, Sean MacPherson, and Andre Balazs. He co-curated an exhibition on Paul Rudolph's drawings with the Drawing Center and exhibitions on Rad Light and Difficult design. He authored I Knew Jim Knew, an amazing book on obscure NYC factoids and pop culture; he wrote about quirky and important people for his favorite magazine Apartamento, where he was a contributing editor. Proud of his Jersey roots, Jim is survived by his sister, an attorney and retired Municipal Court Judge, the Honorable Kathleen Walrod, and her husband, an attorney and retired Municipal Court Judge, the Honorable Charles D'Amico, both of Secaucus, NJ. Jim, you are so missed by so many. You were a mentor, a friend and enriched us every day of our lives with your creativity, loyalty, love and brilliant conversation. You were a star put out too soon and we are bereft without you. As Jim's dear friend Laila said, "Jim can't be gone. Where the hell would he go? He would pick New York over Heaven!" With love, Alex Adler Frances Beatty and Allen Adler Hester Diamond Elyse Kroll Rhiannon Kubicka