On Tuesday, January 13, Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) will host a special Swell Plates Series tasting in partnership with 24Suns and an Exclusive Artist Talk event, marking the Museum’s participation in Visit Oceanside’s second annual culinary program celebrating the city’s local restaurant scene.
The evening begins with an artist talk and gallery walkthrough led by OMA exhibiting artist Francisco Eme, whose exhibition Future Rituals & La eco-resistencia is currently on view. Eme will share insight into his multidisciplinary practice, which draws from ancestral knowledge, ecology, and contemporary urban life, offering guests a deeper understanding of the themes and rituals explored throughout his work.
Following the talk, guests will enjoy a Swell Plates tasting created by Chef Nicholas Webber, co-founder of 24Suns, inspired by the exhibition. Guests will experience sample bites of the “When Pigs Swim” dish, a striking pairing of smoked pork rib and local wahoo shaped into a T-bone form, finished with a fermented fennel “souherb” made from foraged coastal herbs, reflecting the balance, interconnectedness, and environmental awareness central to Eme’s practice and Oceanside’s coastal landscape.
OMA’s participation in the Swell Plates Series extends throughout the season (January 14–February 11, 2026), when diners can enjoy exhibition-inspired dishes at two local restaurants: at 24Suns, where the featured When Pigs Swim dish will be available (with a portion of proceeds from every order will be donated back to OMA), and at Merenda Wine Bar, where a classic Jambon-Beurre paired with Grüner Veltliner celebrates everyday rituals reflected in the exhibition.
Additionally, OMA and 24Suns will present a Swell Plates 5-Course Dinner Event on Sunday, February 1, an intimate evening where Eme and Chef Webber guide guests through a narrative of art, ecology, and culinary storytelling over a refined tasting menu.
The January 13 tasting takes place from 6:00–7:30 PM at Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside. Tickets are $45 for members and $55 for nonmembers. For more information, visit https://oma-online.org/swell/
About Oceanside Museum of Art
Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) is a non-profit organization that began providing exhibitions and public programs in 1995 as part of their mission to bring people together to explore the art and stories of Southern California artists. OMA’s exhibition program is dynamic and robust, surprising visitors with a fresh and exciting visual experience nearly every visit. In addition to these boundary-pushing contemporary art exhibitions, OMA’s programming includes youth education programs, adult art classes, concerts, films, and creative community parties and events that appeal to locals and tourists alike. The OMA experience stimulates imagination, presents new ideas, and challenges the familiar in a welcoming environment for those new to art, longtime museum-goers, artists, art students, or simply the curious. For more information on Oceanside Museum of Art, visit www.oma-online.org
