Alongside Frieze LA and the LA Art Show, the Other Art Fair offered an additional source of solidarity during Los Angeles Art Week following the city’s devastating wildfires. Between February 20 and February 23, 2025, The Other Art Fair, presented by Saatchi Art, gathered nearly 150 independent exhibiting artists and reworked the prototypical art fair model into one rooted in accessibility.
“We combine boundary-pushing yet always affordable works with immersive installations, performances, and the odd tattoo or taxidermy class thrown in for good measure,” the organizers explain. “Art isn’t confined to convention or rule, and how you enjoy it shouldn’t be either.”
The fair’s 2025 edition didn’t stray from this guiding principle. Beyond its staggering selection of artwork, the event featured performances, DJs, and fully-stocked bars, including one manned by Balcones Distilling. The award-winning distillery emphasizes the artistry involved in creating whisky, an art form that “dances between science and soulful expression.” A partnership between Balcones and the Other Art Fair, titled “Spirit of Balcones,” further demonstrates the innovative forms that art production may assume.
“The [Spirit of Balcones: Artist in Residence Program] is a new initiative to empower artists to transcend traditional studios and create artwork that showcases their interpretation of bold free thinking,” the fair’s organizers say.
This sense of ingenuity expands beyond the Balcones collaboration, as evidenced by the fair’s opening night festivities. In tandem with the fair’s mission to uplift local talent, Secret Circus LA presented a “vibrantly queer variety show,” which featured juggling, stilt-walking, and other acts. During the evening hours, DJs Salty and Phatrick both performed, with the latter DJ donating his time and services as part of the fair’s Friday Late Fire Relief Efforts. 100% of proceeds from Friday ticket sales were also redistributed to the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund.
“This special evening is not only an opportunity to give back—it’s also a celebration of the strength and resilience of the arts community and a tribute to the unique spirit of Los Angeles,” the Other Art Fair remarks. “It is our hope that these funds will be part of the healing process, helping so many in our community get back on their feet.”
While in attendance, My Modern Met encountered countless remarkable artists, all of whom demonstrated the global diversity of contemporary art. We had the chance, for example, to interview artist Mad Watson, whose booth focused on “aura paintings,” in which she abstractly captured the interior essence of those who visited her.
In the coming weeks, My Modern Met will publish more exclusive coverage of the Other Art Fair, so be sure to follow us on Instagram to stay updated.
Presented by Saatchi Art, this year’s Other Art Fair showcased affordable works, immersive installations, performances, and cocktails.
The art fair offered an idiosyncratic and dynamic program during LA Art Week 2025, featuring DJs, cocktail booths, and circus performances.
My Modern Met also had the chance to visit the fair, encountering countless remarkable and innovative artists.
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