"DARK MATTER THEORY: An Illustrated Guide to Specialty Coffee" is a thesis presented to the University of Santo Tomas College of Fine Arts and Design. The thesis explores the use of 'Surrealism' in a series of paintings as a way to express the science behind coffee.
Illustration #1: The Coffee Myth
It was believed the Kaldi, an Ethiopian goat herder, first discovered coffee when one day he noticed that his goats began dancing after eating a certain fruit.
Illustration #2: Welcome
The viewer may find that the use of arches in these paintings are common. It is used to symbolized a doorway, as the main goal of the book is to bring you into the world of coffee. Wood was also used to create a feeling of wabi-sabi, a Japanese aesthetic.
Illustration #3: What is Coffee?
For most people coffee is an important (morning) ritual.
“A good day starts with a good cup of coffee, to take away that morning fog covering brain, and giving you the energy boost to seize the day.” - Humanity
“A good day starts with a good cup of coffee, to take away that morning fog covering brain, and giving you the energy boost to seize the day.” - Humanity
It is a dark brown, bitter, concoction. And if you can’t take the bitterness, then just slip in a pack of sugar and cream. Simple. Efficient. Convenient. And Bitter.
But surely there must be something more to it?
Illustration #4: Commodity Coffee
Commodity Coffee is mainly Profit-Driven. It is coffee that is low in production cost, and mass produced. It is the most affordable coffee product out there, and also the most commonly known because of its affordability. Therefore it creates the most common concept and idea of what coffee is.
Illustration #5: Specialty Coffee
Specialty Coffee values transparency and quality the most.
Quality is most important, Specialty cafes wants you to enjoy the drink. Every day, they tweak the parameters (water temperature, coffee grind size, coffee grams and amount of water down to the last 0.1 gram) to serve you the best cup the coffee bean could offer. Barely any room for compromise when it comes to flavor. In turn, even the roasters all the way to the farmers put in plenty of hard work for a good quality cup of coffee to be served.
Quality is most important, Specialty cafes wants you to enjoy the drink. Every day, they tweak the parameters (water temperature, coffee grind size, coffee grams and amount of water down to the last 0.1 gram) to serve you the best cup the coffee bean could offer. Barely any room for compromise when it comes to flavor. In turn, even the roasters all the way to the farmers put in plenty of hard work for a good quality cup of coffee to be served.
Illustration #6: Coffee Waves
You might be wondering what ‘Third Wave’ means.
We are currently living in an era which consists of three coffee movements. These movements are also called ‘waves’, or Coffee Waves to be exact.
We are currently living in an era which consists of three coffee movements. These movements are also called ‘waves’, or Coffee Waves to be exact.
The Concept of Coffee Waves was first introduced by Trish Rothgeb of Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters in an article she wrote about Third Wave Coffee in November 2002.
Rothgeb stated that these three waves each have their own mission and vision for the coffee industry. Each is governed by a certain philosophy.
