Opening night of SF art show dedicated to La Croix has already sold out

San Francisco-based artist fnnch will debut his latest series, "9 Cans of LaCroix," at The SUB on Friday, July 14. San Francisco-based artist fnnch will debut his latest series, "9 Cans of LaCroix," at The SUB on Friday, July 14. Photo: Courtesy: Fnnch Photo: Courtesy: Fnnch Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Opening night of SF art show dedicated to La Croix has already sold out 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

If you pause to contemplate a LaCroix can between sips, its signature packaging design might conjure visions of your grandmother's drapes or your favorite cheetah print shirt from middle school. There's something charming about the pastel-splattered can, which, like the sparkling beverage, is bland, bubbly and utterly fixating.

LaCroix is what some critics would describe as a "cult hit," except that everyone seems to be both obsessed with it and talking about it. Millennials, especially, have latched onto the beverage that was once the drink of choice of Midwesterners (Case in point: a Thought Catalog piece titled "La Croix is My Religion").

As confirmation of the zeitgeist, the low-brow beverage is now the subject of a high-brow art show by San Francisco-based artist fnnch.

"9 Cans of LaCroix" opens Friday at San Francisco art space The SUB. LaCroix will flow freely at the opening festivities, as will cold-pressed juice and snacks courtesy of Thistle.

Unfortunately for those hoping to lose themselves in a fully immersive LaCroix experience, the opening has sold-out, although organizers have added an additional Sunday viewing (tickets are available with a $15 to $30 donation here). One or two closing shows are also in the works, and private viewings can be scheduled upon request.

Besides the nine LaCroix paintings, new works from fnnch, including a temporary mural and variations on his honey bears, will also be on display.

The cans, however, are undoubtedly the stars of the affair. As a contemporary nod to Andy Warhol's 1962 Campbell's soup cans, fnnch used the same-sized canvases as Warhol and painted the cans from a similar vantage point.

Unlike the father of pop art's works, which were screen-printed with synthetic polymer paint, fnnch's iterations were spray-painted with layered stencils. The technique heightens the vibrant, fuzzy colors of the cans, while honoring Warhol's devotion to one-dimensional flatness.

Event organizer Johnny Hwin says the concept initially began as "somewhat of a joke." LaCroix has been a longtime "obsession" among his friend group, he says, and debates about the merits of the pamplemousse flavor versus the coconut rage frequently and fiercely. Nonetheless, he's pleased the theme has resonated.

"Anytime you can draw attention to art in San Francisco," he said, "that's a great thing."

Read Michelle Robertson’s latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.