From Santa Monica’s The Other Art Fair to two rewarding shows at Roberts Projects in mid-city, the art crowds were out in force the last weekend in October, buzzing about the exhibitions and reveling in the arrival of sweater weather.

Running Thursday through Sunday at Barker Hangar, The Other Art Fair offered a wide range of works along with some special experiences. Waiting in line for a two-at-a-time chance to enter the immersive installation The Purr Room, fair attendees were asked to fill out a blue paper form that posed questions such as who or what they loved without reservation.

Overheard: attempts to analyze the meaning of a levitating cat depicted on the questionnaire. “It could be that he’s floating? But maybe he’s supposed to have died? If he’s dead I don’t want to go in.” Rest assured, that wasn’t the intent.

Those in line also had a chance to watch a video of artist creator Gary Baseman interacting with his fluffy black cat, and peruse the artist’s witty, pop-art black cat prints. Once inside what was essentially a large fuzzy black tent topped with a zany cat head, it was time to relax on a soft feline-shaped sofa and cuddle its tail. A stereophonic soundtrack played a blissfully loud meditative purr for exactly two minutes, which made a fun Zen break in the bustle of the fair.

cat art

Other lines formed to enter the VR Neon Maze from Australian artist Michelle Brown, a psychedelic XR artist. There were fewer takers—but still plenty—at Rosa ‘Bluestone Babe’ Perr’s Hand Poke Tattoos oasis, where unique designs could be selected for a personal, permanent artwork. The Mini: Created in a Countryman Project paired a promotional Mini Cooper with the work of animator Kirsten Lepore, who shaped a brightly colored faux aquarium in the vehicle’s cargo area. With 85 exhibiting local and international artists’ booths to take in, attendees took breaks for a craft cocktail or Peroni at the exhibition’s main bar, or stepped outside onto the Astro turf for an organic snack such as avocado toast served up at The Green Truck.

Work by Bettye Saar

Jill Moniz on far right

At Roberts Projects, a solo show by Betye Saar and a group show curated by Jilith Moniz drew a very full house, with attendees jostling to see the art and reach the cheese and fruit on offer. Gallerygoers took in the rich assemblage work of Saar’s 6th show at the gallery, “Betye Saar: Something Blue,” which touched on themes of magic, voodoo and the occult. In the jam-packed front gallery space, guests edged around the abstract sculptures of Hold Up ½ the Sky, some of which were suspended from the ceiling. Ceramics, paper, copper wire and thread were among the mediums used by the 14 exhibiting artists, whose images evoked the forms of nature. Along with curator Moniz and participating artists such as Chenhung Chen and Camilla Taylor, celebs such as CCH Pounder also showed, rounding out a busy weekend indeed.