The Carnival King is inspired by the vibrant costumes worn during Carnival season in the Caribbean. These outfits are often crafted from humble and recycled materials—such as fabric scraps, plant leaves, and found objects—reflecting both resourcefulness and creativity.

The lower face and body of the figure are sourced from a vintage postcard depicting a coal worker in Martinique, grounding the piece in a specific historical and geographic context. The mask is a "Dan" mask from Côte d'Ivoire, symbolizing the sacred ancestral connections between West Africa and its diasporic communities. Together, these elements evoke the deep cultural ties, spiritual traditions, and collective memory shared across the African diaspora.