I Learned Karate From the Streets | Group Show

THE TENDERLOIN WATER ATHLETIC TEAM (T.W A.T.) IS AT IT AGAIN! D Young V of 111 Minna Gallery and John Vochatzer of Moth Belly Gallery will curate an exhibition to remember… A Celebration of 24 Years of The Tenderloin Water Athletic Team.

A @mothbellygallery x @tenderloin.water.athletic.team collaboration at Swig Bar & Art Gallery @swiggallerysf

Featuring select T.W.A.T. members:

Pretzelegant – @pretzelegant
Jessie L Yadlowsky – @trash.bird.studio
Glenda Graves – @hornetbees
Nicolas Edwards – @tendreloin
Adi James Rudzinski – @rude_zen
Chris Farris – @christfarris
Misia Farris – @misia.soup
Christopher Jernberg – @christopherjernbergart
Hugh Leeman – @hughleeman
Daryll Peirce – @daryllpeirce
Party Pablo – @party_pablo
Mark Nobriga – @marknobrida_art
Akira Beard – @akirabread
D Young V – @dyoungv

For those of you surprisingly still unfamiliar with T.W.A.T. it stands for Tenderloin. Water. Athletic. Team. Originally named ‘Renegade Swim Team’ by its founder, ‘The Navigator’; professional artist and university professor, Christopher Jernberg in 2002. The team’s original purpose was to function as part of Christopher’s educational process: training young art students to step outside the constraints of their own perceptions by tossing themselves into the cold bay water under the darkness of night. Since then the team’s purpose and branding have undergone a few makeovers during its twenty four years of existence. By 2011 the team encompassed local professional artists primarily living and working in San Francisco’s Tenderloin who were actively interested in bare back non competitive long distance swimming while taking advantage of the cold water therapy The Bay offered.

It was during this time the team was rebranded as ‘Tenderloin Competitive Swim Team’ with their signature and unforgettable motto “first ones in, last ones out”.

It wasn’t until 2022 that the team was officially rebranded as the ‘Tenderloin Water Athletic Team’ (T.W.A.T.) to better represent the unique (and questionable) personalities and backgrounds of its members: artists and locals mainly based in The Tenderloin and surrounding areas who shared an extremely casual approach to swimming and their own lives in general. This rebranding introduced a new attitude, opening membership to include a more casual approach to swimming while simultaneously maintaining the more serious approach its original members had. So long as new members complete their pledge—six full underwater submersions (preferably while intoxicated) in The Bay water over six separate days of their choosing without a wetsuit—they could finally have the honor of wearing the team’s badge and logo. The new branding also allowed members of other local clubs to join: The Dolphin Club, The South End Rowing Club and even the Bleacher Creatures (though a far stricter screening policy was set for that specific club). Official swim meets changed from a strict early morning Sunday (rain or shine) schedule to more informal ‘drop-in anytime you like’ structure between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., where members are encouraged to bring their own alcohol, food, gear, art and anything else they’d like to share with the team. Swimmers can swim as far and as long as they like, take a cold dip or not while enjoying their friends and beverages and forgetting about their week for a single day of Sabbath in The Bay.