The highlight of an artful autumn, The Other Art Fair has a certain charm that feels sincere and refreshing. You can see its intentions from a mile away and those intentions are more than welcome. This year, the Brooklyn fair had a little bit of everything for everyone without losing the plot. While it did have some dry spots here and there just like any fair, The Other Fair does a great job of embracing its multifaceted audience while also expanding that same audience’s horizons. It is said that art is in the eye of the beholder and at The Other Fair there was something to behold everywhere you turned. Quiet Lunch was on site, made the rounds and now we are here with a recap–just in case you missed it!
Before we get into these standouts, it is worth noting that it is very clear that The Other Fair cares about the artists. Not many fairs give off that kind of integrity. The heart and intent is on full display. The Other Art Fair knows who and what it is.
All Photos Courtesy of Quiet Lunch.
EVELYN GARDINER. | NEW FUTURES AWARD.
A recipient of the New Futures Award, Evelyn Gardiner is the perfect introduction to The Other Fair. Gardiner’s booth was perched right at the mouth of the fair and serve as the tone setter. The work was both compelling and whimsical. Gardiner’s aesthetic drew from religious iconography and medieval art but applied a contemporary femcentric twist.
RACHEL DALY. | BOOTH 8.
Rachel Daly‘s work draws you in with its texture. This might sound a bit weird, but you can feel her work with your eyes. Daly also has a great knack for creating eye-catching patterns and striking silhouettes. Some of these silhouettes are even somewhat recognizable. Yet again, it Daly’s technique that is the main draw as it is a charming use of impasto.
YOUNG OBJECTS (BY ARETHA CHOI). | BOOTH 6.
Giving off a Burtonesque allure, the Young Objects booth was edgy and snarling but equally as endearing and quaint. With each and every piece being made from cardboard but presenting a ceramic finish, the works were exemplary examples of transmutation. However, the bait and switch isn’t just a conceptual gimmick, it is a skillful commentary on sustainability.
The work is cool and conscious. Choi proves that you can maintain a message without sacrificing style.
BLACKIE SWART. | BOOTH 22
Blackie Swart‘s work is a subtle storm brewing. Oddly enough, the neutral palette of this booth made it stick out like a sore thumb. The pieces also mirrored the industrial grit of the surrounding Gowanus area. Swart’s eroded aesthetic allowed the works to have a sculptural presence. They were arranged like mini-monoliths. Unflinching and securing in their place.
LATIKA SRIDHAR. | BOOTH 81.
A painterly illusion, Latika Sirdhar‘s work made you do an immediate double-take. You felt like the work was watching you; and for very apparent reasons. Multiple eyes. Numerous gazes. The pieces had this engaging glitch that stopped you in your tracks. The work is surreal, reflective and intimate. Sridhar has a glowing future of her and we look forward to seeing her work outside of the fair.
VANESSA VALERO. | BOOTH 75.
In the case of less being more, Vanessa Valero made a big impact with very little real estate. Her work was both signature and memorable. From the microbial canvases to the vividly beaded soft sculpture, the extent of Valero’s skill was on full display. The colors, the textile work–it all came together wonderfully. Valero’s work also felt like a window into their experience, their habitat and how she perceives that very habitat.
XAN PADRON. | BOOTH 57.
Quotidian art has a quaint quality that makes it stunning and relatable. This can be said for the time-lapse work of Xan Padron. The photographer captures the mere practice of walking in a rather captivating but simple fashion. Padron does this in such a way that it brought a sense of unity to its audience.
It also reminds us of the mosaic installation at the Prince Street stop on the R titled “Carrying On” by artist Janet Zweig and Edward Del Rosario.
EMILY MALONE. | BOOTH 67.
Perhaps one of the most immersive of all the booths, Emily Malone invites passersby to get lost in the cheeky details of her work. It’s not easy to catch at first but upon further inspection, the underlying carnalities reveal themselves and rise from beneath their Grecian veils.
Malone’s art easily becomes a treasure hunt. Her astute historical references and cheeky sense of humor is indicative of a highly capable artist who doesn’t take themselves too seriously.
TOMAZ CAPOBIANCO. | BOOTH 53.
The Other Art Fair wasn’t all moxy and hijinks. It had its simmered down, minimal moments and Tomaz Capobianco was one of those moments. His sculptural paintings employed these mesmerizing, dune-like contours that appeared to be all etched from paper. The composition is tranquil and the craftsmanship is exceptional. The work is outright unforgettable and attendee found themselves consumed by the undulating patterns.
JOHN P. DESSEREAU | BOOTH 94.
John P. Dessereau‘s work is nearly impossible to miss. The colors are vibrant. The composition is lively. Dessereau’s booth emitted jubilant energy that was outright magnetizing. Dessereau himself sported a bright, warm smile and eagerly greeted passersby which was endearing and even enhanced the impact of the work.
EVIE I. | BOOTH 134.
The keyword for Evie I‘s work is “versatility”; and “versatility” is short for: “effectively employing versatility while being steeped in its own plentiful lore.” Each piece appears to be a chapter in a gorgeous fable. The work feels and reads like a tailored visual language. Evie herself was a living embodiment of digital deities. While may see this as adept branding, but with Evie is felt like an actual way of life. The artist carried herself with the same fluency as the subjects in her pieces. Evie’s space felt less like a booth and more like a pocket universe.
TEXTILE ARTS CENTER. | BOOTH 132.
If textile art is your game then the Textile Art Center booth is in your lane. Located in Brooklyn, Textile Art Center was a hometown favorite that featured some pieces that display some extremely well made, whip-smart pieces that were created by some highly aware, nimble-fingered artists. The inclusion of a community based organization such as the Textile Art Center shows that The Other Fair also intends to speak to the sociopolitics of the arts.
DREW GRIFFITHS. | BOOTH 123.
Unlike the other booths at The Other Fair, Drew Griffiths used words instead of visuals to appeal to attendees. Not to say that his work wasn’t stellar but it is an insightful quote that leapt forward and grabbed you–in addition to the pieces that only brilliantly bolstered Griffiths’. It was a clever and noteworthy approach.
STEVE JACKSON. | BOOTH 112.
There was a mellow mood radiating from Steve Jackson‘s booth and we couldn’t help but mosey on over to check it out. The Jamaican photographer curated each piece with precision and had a polished look that still came off as genuine. Jackson showed intent in his presentation. It felt like a movie set.
The work itself was also a well-executed representation of not only the Black condition but the human condition as well.
HANNAH EVE ROTHBARD. | BOOTH 113.
To say that we went into this fair completely blind would be a mild mistruth. Through the evocative traversing, we were keeping an eye out for Hannah Eve Rothbard‘s booth. Quiet Lunch has been a fan of her work for some time now, and we were eager to finally see it in the physical. Nearing the end of the fair, we “stumbled upon” Rothbard’s booth and we were not disappointed.
In fact, and even Rothbard agrees, photography is incapable of doing the palette and texture of her work proper justice.
JULIA GRAYSON. | BOOTH 29.
An unexpected familiar face, Julia Grayson has held a special place in our hearts for years now. Nonetheless, there is no bias when including her booth on this list. Grayson genuinely has a strong, signature aesthetic that has only become more fine tuned as time goes by. She has a style that is all her own. We even initially thought someone had plagiarized her work before recognizing the artist herself.
BRADEN YOUNG. | BOOTH 25.
Just as we were about to make our exit, we realized that we missed a booth. Something told us to take another look and there was the work of Braden Young! Young concocts a potent mixture of vintage novelty, urban banality and generational pop culture. His pieces are permanent yet still maintain an ephemeralness that plays a trick on the eye.
It was the ideal ending to a great experience that we look forward to attending The Other Art Fair next year.
Learn more about The Other Art Fair.
Akeem is our founder. A writer, poet, curator and profuse sweater, he is responsible for the curatorial direction and overall voice of Quiet Lunch. The Bronx native has read at venues such as the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, KGB Bar, Lovecraft and SHAG–with works published in Palabra Luminosas and LiVE MAG13. He has also curated solo and group exhibitions at numerous galleries in Chelsea, Harlem, Bushwick and Lower Manhattan.