Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show got me thinking of the importance of symbolism in art. This symbolism is what starts a discourse and gets viewers engaged post-performance. Although the deeper meaning behind the art may not have been noticed at first glance, the hidden meaning is discovered after further inspection and leaves a more profound impact on the viewer.

 

After reading and watching countless articles breaking down the meaning behind Kendrick's lyrics and creative direction, I began thinking about how this applies to my art. Similarly to Kendrick, some of my art is inspired by the cultural divide in America and how this relates to black Americans specifically. 

 

The Superbowl show begins with Samuel L. Jackson imitating Uncle Sam on a set that looks like a huge gameboard. Jackson begins narrating and describes the performance as The Great American Game.

​

​ 

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

After Kendrick sings Squabble up Jackson yells "No, no, no! Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto, do you really know how to play the game…? Then tighten up!". This whole idea of the show being a game is symbolic of how black people in America have to move in society. "Tighten up," he says, as you don't want to be seen as "ghetto". Straighten your hair, they may add, so you can be "presentable." Talk quieter so you can be more "digestible. " Changing who you are so you can win the game. 

 

The image below is a painting I did during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement. Kendrick's performance brought me back to my thought process while making this painting. I hoped to invoke an emotional response from viewers as I packed my painting with symbolism.

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

The main image of the painting is a black man in distress with his head in his hands. The word "nonstop" was plastered above his head. This painting is supposed to represent the ongoing police violence against black Americans. If you look deeper, the words "nonstop" are accompanied by a blue and red glow- the same colors as police lights and the American flag. The rings on the man's fingers have images of George Floyd and Trayvon Martin, two men who lost their lives to the game of systematic racism and police brutality.

 

In the middle of Kendrick's performance, Uncle Sam makes another appearance, referencing the rules of the game one more time. He states that Kendrick is not following the rules, so he looks to the camera and says, "Scorekeeper, deduct one life". This statement solidifies that the impact of this performance is to call out that Black Americans should not have to fit the mold to stay in the game. It calls out the lax and callous attitude that many have toward black loss as people become desensitized to police brutality and the senseless killing of black lives.

 

Kendrick fit all that meaning into a 13-minute halftime, so when searching for how to deepen my art with symbolism, I will continually turn to him.