For this final project, I knew I wanted to create an artwork of some sort. However, I wasn’t initially sure what I wanted to compose. After looking back at our course content and
discussions, I was always drawn back to our conversation covering Super Bowl Halftime performances and their greater impact. Tying into this concept was our curriculum in Week 6
that covered “The Stadium as a Public Square of American Culture.”

 

As we have discussed, American culture is influenced greatly by the game of football along with
the stadiums in which they play. I find that these public gatherings represent a sense of
community and coming together, despite differences, and finding enjoyment in the moment of
one particular thing. After research done this semester within this course, we concluded that the
halftime show is one of the biggest stages, not only within America, but within the world as well.
Therefore, in my graphic poster I made with digital Adobe softwares, I chose to highlight
Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s 2025 Super Bowl performance. I wanted to display a theme of
perseverance and the idea that the show will go on no matter what people think. The monumental
performance received lots of mixed feedback amongst social media and critics. However, the
show did more than provide a source of entertainment during halftime. Lamar chose to capitalize
on one of the largest stages and share a bigger message. That message highlighted Black
American resilience and cultural authenticity. Through narrations from “Uncle Sam”,
background dancers taking the shape of the American Flag, and lyrical callouts, this performance
brought attention to many of the political and social injustices Black Americans have faced
throughout history and even today in our modern world. In the end, Kendrick Lamar and SZA, in
my opinion, performed one of the greatest halftime shows while still being able to tell a story, all
through the power of music.

Lucas Oppy is a first-year CAP student.