IL Diavolo & l'AcquaSanta Tarocchi Fantastici - Various artists

Some decks, like this one, seem to have a slow-moving effect with me, getting into my collection quite some time after their publication and being blogged about even later. This effect is in no way a negative judgment on it from my part – far from it even, it’s just one of those things that happen without any specific reason.

The IL Diavolo & l'AcquaSanta Tarocchi Fantastici was part of a grand event celebrating the Millennium of the Cattedrale di San Vicinio (housing the tomb of St. Vicinio a Bishop miracle worker) and was held in Archaeological Museum of Sarsina from November 15, 2008 till May 31, 2009, date of completion of the Jubilee Year.

22 contemporary artists, some emerging and some already established, were invited to create a work, of art , interpreting each one of the majors and using techniques as varied a painting, sculpture, mixed media, photography and even and processed X-rays. The exhibition was curated by Antonio Paolucci who is also director of the Vatican Museums, and architect Marisa Zattini, a well know art director and curator of significant exhibitions in that region of Italy.

 

For those who like names (and what they did in this project) here are the participating artist: Adriano Bimbi (Fool), Stefano Mazzotti (Magician),Richard Hess (High Priestess), Andrea Guastavino (Empress), Enrico Lombardi (Emperor), Moreno Bondi (Pope), Luke Piovaccari (Love), Francis Bombard (Chariot), Silvano D'Ambrosio (Justice) Nicholas Samorì (Hermit), Black (aka Alexander Neretti) (Fortune), Brutus Tomato (Strength), Ana Hill (Hanged Man), Mark Kostabi (Death), Pablo Echaurren (Temperance), Ugo Nespolo (Devil), Maximum Pulini (Tower), Aldo Rontini (Star), Daniele Masini (Moon), Alberto Mingotti (Sun), Gesine Arps (Angel), Paola Campidelli (World)

Winnipeg Tarot created by Lorri Millan & Shawna Dempsey and illustrated by Bonnie Marin

There are not many decks that came out of Canada, despite it's size there where, to my knowledge, less than 40 decks published these last 40 years, so every one I can find is received with great interest and curiosity.

The project this deck came out of was a part of the Winnipeg Cultural Capital of Canada 2010 ARTS FOR ALL initiative. So indeed once more artistic and/or cultural events and tarot join forces, a trend that has been asserting itself these last few years, and through their interaction bring forth something new worth discovering.

As the title suggest the theme of the deck is the city of Winnipeg and its region, and with a city that size and diverse there is a lot to showcase! The style used here is a distorted mix between playful, caricature and semi 50 & 60ies-vintage. The characters histories and mythologies depicted are a mix of pure local elements and global, multicultural influences (how many decks do you know depicting among others a Gay Pride and a wholesale event?).

If you’re wondering yes the do have a site (and yes the deck is still available it seems – but for how long more as it was created for an event last year…)  

78 cards

Renamed suits: Blizzards, Floods, Drought and Lightning

Eroteme Fashion Tarot Cards by Oleg Mitrofanov

This deck fits the category 'when art meets tarot', and what for an art: the world of opera with all its stories filled with passion and drama, THE perfect backdrop for a deck.

Each  major arcana and court card has been linked to a personage from an opera, some very famous, others less,  the minors are non-scenic but portray arms and hands, decorated and with accessories and jewelry in various combinations, a fascinating view to look at. Each person/character is portrayed by not so standard yet impressing models draped in striking theatrical dresses,  each card is both a work of art and a whole story in itself.

The deck was published in 2 super limited editions: one big sized (13x20 cm) of only  5 decks, and a  regular (7.5x13 cm) edition of 30 decks, so if you're interested you need to be very quick.... More info, and images of the deck can be found here