Coty Schwabe Blog: The Other Art Fair Turns 10 and Asks 400 Artists to Answer ‘Why Am I An Artist’

2021 marks ten years since the launch of Saatchi Art’s The Other Art Fair in London. From immersive art dining experiences to faux art vandalism performances, the fairs have showcased art in a number of different creative forms across the U.S., U.K., and Australia, as well as kickstarted the careers of thousands of talented artists.

Created by Ryan Stanier, the concept of The Other Art Fair is simple: to give artists the opportunity to grow their businesses and sell their works independently to buyers from all backgrounds and to further democratize the art-buying process by connecting buyers directly with artists.

In celebration of and to shine a light on the artist community that is the beating heart of the fair, the team asked 400 of their featured artists what drew them to their career path as part of a new “Why am I an artist” video series. Here we spotlight five:

Watson Mere is an artist of Haitian descent based in Brooklyn. Using Microsoft Paint as his primary medium, Mere finds inspiration from the love, struggles, happiness, and pain of the people of the African diaspora. “Art puts passion and purpose within my life. It’s something I’m extremely grateful for,” he says.
Mexico City-based artist Yanin Ruibal creates vibrant and lush illustrations and paintings that capture the unique Mexican understanding of vivid color. “I couldn’t picture myself doing anything else… Being an artist is a huge part of my identity,” she says.
Austria-born, Alabama-based Barbara Kuebel is inspired by the dynamics of crowd and group behaviors. Full of action and felt movement, she wants to tell stories of emotions without words. “Art gave me that certain type of stability throughout my entire life,” she says
London-based mixed-media artist Kay Gasei explores symbolism, myths, and narratives with characters set in timeless spaces. Hedonism and pleasure are strong themes running through his recent works, as well as current socio-political turmoil. “I use art as a tool for understanding other fields of my interests,” he says.
Serena Singh’s vibrant work embodies color and texture inspired by different cultures and her own background as the daughter of an Indian father and a Swiss mother. Often containing powerful ﬁgures reminiscent of Greek gods and portraits of strong women, her latest work explores the topics of identity and self-discovery. “I can’t help it. Painting gives me peace of mind,” she says.

Watch the full “Why am I an artist” video and find out how you can join this global artist community and exhibit at theotherartfair.com. It’s free to apply, and applications are now open for 2021 fall fairs, including in Chicago, which runs from September 30 to October 3 at Revel Fulton Market.