This weekend, the historic Battery Leary-Merriam landmark in the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles, will be taken over by the CalArtian-founded Other Places art fair (OPaf), a two-day outdoor showcase of experimental contemporary art venues and organizations from Los Angeles and beyond.
OPaf was founded in 2018 by artist K Knittel (Art MFA 10), who intended to create an art fair that operated in a fluid fashion “outside the traditional gallery art systems.” The alternative art fair features participants who present site-specific booths that are unconventional and fluid in definition.
In addition to the main fair, OPaf 5 features Kite Show, co-organized by LA-based conceptual art and design studio A History of Frogs and contemporary flag exhibition space Harborview and Pole. Attendees can fly kites designed by more than 20 artists, including CalArtians Elijah Ford (Art MFA 14), Jim Isermann (Art MFA 80), and B. Wurtz (Art MFA 80). Each flight is $5; proceeds from Kite Show will fund the OPaf Prize awarded to the best booth.
This year’s stage performances are organized by Chinatown freeform radio station KCHUNG, featuring live broadcasts and performances throughout the weekend. Ghost pop band Bitter Party, which includes CalArtian Nathan Lam Vuong (Art MFA 11) on strings and vox, will also take to the stage for a live show on Sunday evening.
Find the full list of 2022 fair participants on the OPaf website.
