How to Appreciate Art and Culture on Your Coffee Break
Exploring cultural symbolism in February
It’s National Arts Month and Black History Month. Let’s dive into ways to bring intentional artistic energy to our coffee breaks and inspire future positivity-powered projects in our own lives.
This month, I have been inspired by Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance and Ruth E. Carter’s costume design journey.
Let’s explore how culture and heritage are infused in art. We’ll take a look at their work to see this intentionality in motion.
Both artists have very different styles, music versus costume design. Still, you can feel a similar dedication to cultural representation in their work. They pour passion into their projects to honor the legacies of their people.
These highly creative, resilient, and thoughtful artists used their stage to lift their communities up through their work.
Learn a little about their works below. Soak up the symbolism, expression, and empowerment in their work. Then, we can explore ways to savor art and culture on our coffee breaks.
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Bad Bunny carries history, community, and love
Along with millions around the world, I enjoyed Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show at the start of the month. Every week since, I have gained a deeper appreciation for his performance.
There is so much to love. Every cultural breakdown, clip of behind-the-scenes footage, and story showcases new layers of depth and heart in the show.
Check out this Instagram Carousel from @kvpr.news for a breakdown of symbolism and imagery in the show.
Identity, determination, community, and love were on full display from the opening scenes of the performance. Bad Bunny walked with his people, carrying us as viewers through their history and community.
The show’s beauty was how the heart of Puerto Rico was celebrated. Bad Bunny performed amongst the community, not separate from them. He stayed true to his identity, performing entirely in Spanish and representing the reality of life in Puerto Rico. It was a multigenerational performance featuring background performers of all ages and a real wedding.
Puerto Rican creatives worked on-camera and behind the scenes, from stunt work and design to dance and music. Real businesses were featured on camera.
The end of the performance brought together all of the Americas. In English, he says, “God Bless America,” then names every country in the Americas. He and the performers march off the stage with determination, flags in hand and playing instruments rooted in revolution.
The message, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love,” shines over the stadium as the performance ends.
And the party didn’t stop there! Performers marched all the way out of the stadium, waving their flags, singing, and playing music together.
Such a powerful and timely display of strength, positivity, community, and empowerment.
Ruth Carter travels through time with design and storytelling
My favorite book I read this month was The Art of Ruth E. Carter. She details her journey into costume design and process designing iconic looks in Black cinema.
I went to a talk she had at Bowie State University years ago, so I was familiar with some of her experiences designing looks for Black Panther. But wow, this book highlights even more of her thought work and process, fashioning that iconic Marvel franchise.
She pulled elements from African cultures to build futuristic looks.
Wakanda is a country untouched by colonization. Imagine the thought of representing the identity of an entire people, their royalty, and their superheroes. It’s a daunting task that Carter brought to life with finesse.
Pattern, texture, silhouette, fabric, jewelry, wrapping techniques, every element was thoroughly researched. African countries like Lesotho, Nigeria, and Mali inspired individual characters’ outfits in the movie.
Thinking through how to distinguish Wakandan tribes took time. Each tribe has everyday attire, ceremonial garments, and combat gear. Creating special pieces for Wakandan royalty was also a thought process.
She and her team balanced global fashion design projects. Many items were specially made in African countries, India, and the United States. Other pieces were digitally designed and 3D printed.
And don’t forget, Black Panther is a superhero movie, so that meant bringing sci-fi elements into the designs while making the clothes comfortable for stunt work.
She created Black Panther suits for the main hero and villain, shaped to their bodies. These suits honored the story’s comic book roots and added cultural nods through texture and pattern work.
Chadwick Boseman’s death changed the storyline and direction of Black Panther 2.
Carter and all the creatives working on the film’s sequel brought even more intention, passion, and depth to their work to honor his legacy.
Carter created funeral garments, new clothes for the Wakandan cast, a Black Panther suit for Letitia Wright’s character, a super suit for Ironheart played by Dominique Thorne, and costumes inspired by Ancient Mayan culture.
Similar to Wakandan society, the Talokanil indigenous group is one unconquered by colonization. Not only did Carter imagine a futuristic indigenous society on screen, but she also designed costumes that presented regally underwater.
The Talokanil live mainly underwater, so Carter blended fish, bird, and snake symbolism in Mayan culture for culturally infused water-friendly looks. Just incredible.
Her legacy extends beyond just Marvel. So many iconic works are thanks to her. Many Spike Lee films, including Malcolm X and Do the Right Thing, projects with Eddie Murphy like Coming to America 2 (where she designed over 800 garments), and most recently Sinners, for which she is Oscar-nominated for Best Costume Design.
This quote from her conclusion stood out:
“Art is often what truly allows a nation to reflect on the human experience and shows us our collective consciousness.”
This is the journey. The empowerment, the vision of the future, the determination through the present, all shine through art.
As a viewer, it is an honor to learn those hidden stories behind great works and carry forward their inspiration to the future.
Explore culture on your coffee break
With a deeper appreciation for culturally infused art, we can bring new energy to our coffee breaks for grounded discussions and fresh creative perspectives.
There is something so beautiful about how culture blends into creative projects. The intentionality is so rich, so deep. It’s something you may not even notice at first as a viewer. The layers are heavy with context and meaning. Every element of a creative work is woven with thought and care.
You can feel the artistry, the passion, and the love, but taking the time to learn about the thought that goes into a creative project can give you an even deeper appreciation for the work.
It’s a dance within a dance, a song within a song, when you know the strides artists take to weave meaning into every component of a piece.
To me, it feels like an egg hunt, uncovering all the cultural easter eggs tucked inside a project, infusing it with deeper meaning.
That passion is in itself a love letter to culture, heritage, and people.
You can dive into that creative journey, learn the roots of your favorite works, all on your coffee break. Here are some ideas for exploring cultural works over coffee.
1 | Have a mini cultural deep dive on your favorite art
What’s a film, book, song, illustration, or other piece of art you love?
Go behind the curtain and discover new things to love about your favorite work. Read articles, find fun facts, or listen to an interview to learn more.
While writing this post, I discovered some great interviews:
Bad Bunny Super Bowl Interview. Enjoy this pre-game interview to learn about his cultural influences, passion for music, and excitement for representing Puerto Rico at the Halftime show.
Ruth Carter Breaks Down Iconic Costumes. Watch this Vanity Fair video for a look into her design process and costumes.
Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan Sinners Interview. Now, this interview is extra special for fellow coffee lovers. In addition to sharing the process of creating Sinners, director Ryan Coogler shares his passion for coffee and how it connects with his love for filmmaking. This podcast interview is the perfect complement to this post, with warm conversation, artistic backstory, and coffee culture.
2 | Have coffee chats with friends to swap perspectives
Gather with friends for your own coffee break discussion on art. There are so many directions you could take.
Everyone could play their favorite movie/show scene and share what stands out to them. You could treat your break like a book club, reading a book or enjoying another piece of media in advance for a thorough weekly conversation. Maybe you could even explore art events like galleries or film festivals together, followed by a coffee chat to discuss your thoughts.
3 | Read artists’ books to learn more about their journey
Learn about creators’ past, favorite creative projects, and legacy.
To explore Carter’s journey further, check out The Art of Ruth E. Carter for more on her costume design work. Purchasing from my affiliate link supports independent bookstores on Bookshop.com.
I receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
4 | Create a cultural appreciation routine
For practice growing your perspectives on art, create a thoughtful reflection routine. Every time you come across art that speaks to you, pause to think about why it spoke to you. Consider themes, imagery, how it’s created, and anything else shaping you.
Art is power
Art carries messages that can shape culture and uplift audiences. Artists pour so much of themselves into their work to spark change.
Diving deeper into art can brew new conversations and perspectives. By taking time on your break to explore the stories behind art, you can discover new messages of hope, positivity, and determination.
Warm Wishes
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This post was originally published on exploringovercoffee.substack.com.
