I cruised up to Oceanside with the boys to check out a gallery I had been looking forward to seeing for awhile. Swiv Tackle Circus is the self-proclaimed “Greatest Gallertique on Earth” and while I haven’t been to all of the gallery-boutique hybrid’s in the world to back this claim, this one left quite an impression on me. The building itself is a site to see, grabbing attention on the Coast Highway with its funky signage and curbside vegetable garden; a sore thumb amongst the eclectic and outdated facades that make up this military beach town.
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Native, a group exhibition put on by collaborators Swiv Tackle Circus and Set & Drift, brought us out that night (besides the convenient proximity to Carlsbad Pizza Port and Surf Bowl). Sean and Stacy Kelley, the power couple behind Set & Drift, have already played a roll in successfully transforming local art events around San Diego, i.e. Conspire and Reinventing the Wheel, so we were itching to see what they were up to at Swiv.
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We got there around dusk and DJ Blackass was front and center, spinning on the raised register/display. I couldn’t help noticing his amazing resemblance to the DJ in Zoolander. From Gremmie skateboards and bikes on the walls to giant prayer chimes hanging from the ceiling, there was a lot to look at and the circular layout of the gallery had me walking around for several laps.
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A couple favorites of mine were Tocayo’s new works and Shaney Jo Darden’s amazing headdresses.
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I rounded a corner to the back of the gallery and found myself in the middle of a mini community farmers market and was offered a blood orange. Damn they were tasty.
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It suddenly made sense why people were wandering the show munching on carrots and miscellaneous fruit. It’s the little details that really get me stoked on shows and Native had a lot of them. I am really looking forward to spending more time at Swiv Tackle Circus and seeing what’s next for Set & Drift.
See more photos from the night here.