Black Coffee, Coffee Without Milk, Coffee Without Cream by James Mariano

$50.00

Black Coffee, Coffee Without Milk, Coffee Without Cream by James Mariano
Acrylic on Canvas

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Inspiration

This painting draws its conceptual strength from a quote by philosopher Slavoj Žižek:
“It’s not the same thing: coffee without cream or coffee without milk. What you don’t get is part of the identity of what you get.” James Mariano takes this meditation on absence and expectation and filters it through the surreal lens of animated characters and philosophical abstraction. The result is a visual riddle: whimsical on the surface, layered in existential weight underneath. It’s coffee, but it’s also choice, perception, and meaning—all brewed together.

Print Details

  • 16×20 inch fine art print

  • Printed on eco-friendly, museum-quality heavyweight paper

  • Ships from the closest available global facility to reduce environmental impact

  • Artists receive 60% of the net profit—thank you for supporting independent artists

Black Coffee, Coffee Without Milk, Coffee Without Cream by James Mariano
Acrylic on Canvas

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Inspiration

This painting draws its conceptual strength from a quote by philosopher Slavoj Žižek:
“It’s not the same thing: coffee without cream or coffee without milk. What you don’t get is part of the identity of what you get.” James Mariano takes this meditation on absence and expectation and filters it through the surreal lens of animated characters and philosophical abstraction. The result is a visual riddle: whimsical on the surface, layered in existential weight underneath. It’s coffee, but it’s also choice, perception, and meaning—all brewed together.

Print Details

  • 16×20 inch fine art print

  • Printed on eco-friendly, museum-quality heavyweight paper

  • Ships from the closest available global facility to reduce environmental impact

  • Artists receive 60% of the net profit—thank you for supporting independent artists

ABOUT THE ARTIST

James Mariano is a multimedia artist and former animator based in Pittsburgh. His work lives at the intersection of cartoon surrealism and existential philosophy. With a deep affection for vintage animation, he explores the symbolic and philosophical potential of cartoon characters—at once universal and exaggerated.

Each piece begins with a quote—from Nietzsche, Camus, Žižek, Kerouac, or a favorite lyric—and evolves into a narrative scene of absurdity, refusal, or introspection. His figures are more likely to question the meaning of the mousetrap than fall for the cheese, and more likely to ponder a pie than take it to the face.

Outside the studio, James is a full-fledged coffee enthusiast. A former coffee roaster with an elaborate home brewing setup, he approaches coffee with the same intensity and reflection as his art—one espresso shot at a time.

Go-to Coffee Order: Espresso
Coffee Sanctuary: Commonplace Coffee, Pittsburgh, PA

Follow James on instagram: @jas_fiend

Visit his website: www.james-mariano.com