Current Exhibit:
Manic Mask by Goku McAfee
Swig is proud to present our next exhibit “Manic Mask” a solo show by Fresno-based artist Goku McAfee who will be exhibiting a collection of new paintings and hanging ceramic works that explore themes of mental health—particularly revolving around Goku’s own experiences living with bipolar disorder and ADHD. A regular fixture in the San Francisco art community, this will be Goku’s first solo exhibit in the city since 2023.
The opening reception will take place Friday, March 13th, from 5-9pm, and the collection will then remain on view until Sunday, April 5th. Throughout the duration of the exhibit, viewing hours are during SWIG’s happy hour from 5-9pm on Wednesdays through Sundays.
Meet Goku
The work in this show includes a selection of recent paintings and ceramic pieces. The paintings are more personal than what I’ve done before. They deal with my mental health — living with bipolar disorder and ADHD — and the way certain thoughts or moods can feel bigger than me. A devil-like figure shows up throughout the work. It represents a part of myself I used to push outside of me, and now try to understand by painting it. When I first started making art, I called myself a “Super Funk Expressionist.” I didn’t know anything about art history — I just meant that I wanted to feel first, think later, and not be afraid to mess things up and keep going. Later on, I learned that my mentor and close friend Richard Silva, who studied under Joan Brown, was connected to the Bay Area Figurative movement. That kind of honest, emotional painting still influences me.
The ceramic masks and figures grew out of my time working with Stan Bitters as both an assistant and apprentice. Being in his studio changed how I see clay — it’s physical, direct, and about process. Stan’s background connects to Peter Voulkos and the energy of West Coast ceramics, which ties into that same California lineage of experimentation. Some of the pieces are raku-fired, others traditionally fired, but they all connect back to the same idea — different faces, different states, different versions of the self. Altogether, the work reflects where I am right now: still learning, still experimenting, and trying to make sense of what’s going on inside.
Upcoming Exhibit:
Pablitosomething & Pancho Pescador
Opening Reception on Friday, April 10th, 5-9pm
Concealed Weapons: A Duo Show By Pancho Pescador & Pablitosomething
“We are to be feared. Dictatorship is a lid that is constantly checked by the pressure of a rising community. As artists and activists, we feel it is our duty to stand against oppression. We are the blade that lives in your pocket. Coming from places where dictatorships have shaped our lives, Latin America, we know how important it is to rebel and also how important it becomes to hide behind masks. We take to the streets with graffiti and wheat pastes. We hide behind aliases and hoodies. Sometimes for our own safety, sometimes for the protection of our families.
The masks we explore in our paintings are a reflection on the layers of what each subject is. Rebellion is a mask to hide our burning passions. Our reality becomes skewed as we recall the moments that have shaped us. In Andean culture there are many, many masks such as the Kusillo and the Diablada. These two masks are found in our celebrations of harvest but also hide the sadness of death. With each year of harvest we also celebrate the passing of many as a price paid for abundance. On street corners people are accustomed to pour some liquor for the earth (La Pachamama) and for our loved ones who passed.
Our fantastic realism found in this collection is reflective of our versatile lives. We have lived in many places and absorbed so much wisdom from our travels. Our landscapes come from a combination of being connected to nature growing up in the countryside to the busy hustle and bustle of city life. We carry our experiences like ghosts and they are invoked in our paintings.”