Tarot de Mars by Celine Guichard

Yet another new and interesting deck arrived today, perhaps not one to anyone taste (but then as the French say: "les goûts et les couleurs ne se discutent pas".

Speaking from France: this is where this deck came from namely from the art collective "le dernier cri" (what can be translated to both "the last scream" or "the latets fashion"). Le dernier cri has printed (among other works) these last few years some creative re-imaginings of the Tarot de Marseille - some very far some closer, yet always with a sting and even the potential to shock some.

The shocking potential in this one is limited to some "alive" members on some cards but not in an in-your-face way - the biggest discussion may be if this is a TdM or not, it adheres to the structure, yes, but at some places the images is very different....

I for myself resolve the categorization "problem" by filing them under the handle Neo-Marseilles (a yes but-no but sulution that yet recognizes it's ancestors.

As with all it's prints this too is in a limited edition run (500 for this one) offset printed.

You can obtain the deck here 

Tarot of the Holy Light - Black & White Edition

A long, long time ago (so begin many fairy tale  - but this is more of a love story) I received and blogged the original Tarot of the Holy Light and click I fell for it! (you can find my post about it here)

It was, and still is a great deck deep, mystical, esotheric but without feeling heavy or threatening, during chats with the lovely Christine Payne-Towler I discovered there was an earlier ediotion of the deck in black and white in booklet format, and in a very limited printrun of only 150 (and yes off course I have it)! When posting my blog-post on Facebook, it sparkled quite  the attention and desire with people, what is always nice - the feeling you can at the same time share your love for something with others and at the same time giving a warm feeling and exposure to the artists who created it.
Somewhere in that Facebook thread the possibility was mentioned of a black and white version, liked by many both on the public as on the creators side.

Fast forward a few years, and yes it has finally materialized - a first (very limited) black and white version of the Tarot of the Holy Light is in my possession - and hopefully in those of many more who share my warm feelings with this deck.

There are many differences between this and the colored deck, some subtle others less. First there are the cards themselves a bit smaller than the color print and without the textured card-stock, but once again a good quality one. As these are the images as created before they did the coloring they are not all identical, some small details in some, some lines, ornaments missing, some line work more or less drawing the attention, so it's fun to seek the differences - what is less easy than I thought at first - and to  add to the clarity and readability the titles are now below the image instead of within it.

A curious thing about the first print-run of 50decks is that although it was printed in b&w there is a blue line around the 2 of Disks - so this printing will be allowed to go out with this peculiarity. As Christine said: " Perfection is for ninnies!", and it makes those an extra bit special!

Interested in the deck, contact Christine & Michael through their website, they will be eager to help you (and for those wondering if the deck is to deep or complicated there is an entire book with lots of  information available) 

The Prisma Visions Tarot by James R. Eads

Last year James R. Eads had a kickstarter campaign entitled "The Visions Project: Tarot Cards & Art Prints" to publish his 79 cards deck in a bi-chrome scheme, a modern reinterpretation of th WCS deck and also a majors only + extra card prints set that are a color reworking of that deck with some other changes, tweaking - now he's back with the follow up on that project so to speak, the "The Prisma Visions Tarot".

First let's begin with the beginning,  the Light Visions tarot (first self published as a major arcana deck before the kickstarter project and than as the 79 cards deck, both OOP now), a very nice deck that is modern yet ancient at the same time, technological as natural. The both the modern as the technological parts can be seen in the contemporary some/many re-workings of the tarot archetypes like the chariot that became a car coming towards us,from the left to the right hand side of the card, the ancient feeling comes from the technique used: hand drawn images in a style that are reminiscent of old woodcut blocks. The 2013 kickstarter campaign was to fund that deck and the Prisma Visions Collection, 22 majors plus the extra card that flowed from those images, similar, but different, not only because those are giclee prints but they underwent some evolution.

Take for example the chariot here below where the Prisma Visions version not only gained colors but also in dynamism due to the headlights being turned on.

And now James is back for a full 79 cards version of the Prisma Visions, as with the Light Visions tarot there is an 'interesting 'thing' with the minors arcana, if you put every card of a suit one next to it's predecessor it forms one single continuous scene, for now only the suits of Chalices and wands are ready.


Take a look at his project here and if it's anything it looks like and the quality as high as the previous (of what i have no doubt) this will be a winner (in a way it already is having more than doubled the artist's funding goal)

I Nuovi Tarocchi Dell'amor Sacro e Profano - Franco Coletti

Almost a year ago I made a post here about the 'I Tarocchi Dell'amore Sacro E Profano' the deck that was inspired by the passion of the artist for his muse D., so overwhelming this desires for her are that almost at the same time as the first, Il Meneghello published the second instalment of this trilogy. 

The  entitled I Nuovi Tarocchi Dell'amor Sacro e Profano - (aka A New Tarot of Sacred and Profane Love) continues in the same style and vein as the first one, reigning from poetic to a bit...explicit. One can see each card has been executed by a skilled artist who's form of expression lies somewhere between gentle elegance, brute and raw strength, between wild passion and calm rest. Indeed the way I described the used the art is the way I would describe the whole set of 78 cards, the entire Sacred & Profane trilogy and by extension the whole body tarot-creations from Coletti inspired by his feelings for his muse, the always secretive D.

The cards in the major arcana are where the artist poured his own writing into each image while each of the 4 suits is given a literary backbone by:  Goethe for coins; the Italian poet, essayist and philosopher Biacomo Leopardi for Wands; Emily Dickinson for the suit of Cups and John Keats for the Swords.

As the previous set in this trilogy this one is published in an extremely limited edition of only 12 decks, to learn more about it (and why not see if it is still available and if so order one) you could contact Christina through the Il Meneghello Facebook page or look up the page Arnell Ando has created for this deck here. 

The Fialko Tarot by Jeff Fialko

Rejoice tarot collectors of all nations, Adam McLean, fellow collector of tarot (with a truelly HUGE) collection has restarted to produce limited edition tarot decks in his  Artwork Tarots, after his project was stopped because of the theft of the Intellectual Property rights by scrupulous people sharing these free on internet thus making it unprofitable for Adam to continue the project.

Earlier this year he started experimenting with the new high quality printer and discovered a way to produce very good quality tarot cards in a way that is both more cost effective and faster than before, resulting in the fact he can now sell them at half the price of his earlier editions. Other changes he made are that he no longer prints card backs,  has reduced the size of the editions from 100 to only 50 and finally the customized boxes are replaced by clear plastic ones. This all will result in the fact that editions will sell out very faster and be followed by new ones, and based on how successful this edition was he is considering putting out more decks.

Indeed I wrote "was" because deck number 24 in the Artwork Tarots series the "The Fialko Tarot" by American artist and singer Jeff Fialko (hence the name) is already sold out, and it has only taken a bit over a week to do so, speaking of a succes, this is one! You can see some more of the deck at Adam's page about it...sadly that is all no more decks for sale.

The deck itself is filled with attractive looking slender yet believable normal humans, esoteric images and filled up with flowing lines, curves and roots(?). personally..the style reminds me a  lot of American comic books from the 70ies and 80ies( and to some extent the) 90ies.....

Alexander Daniloff's 78 card deck

The second of May   I posted about the impressive majors only deck created by Alexander Daniloff, tarot he was still working upon finishing a minor arcana at the time. Now a few months later the finished version is almost reaching the point where it can be printed, Mr. Daniloff expects it for this autumn, some of these finished cards can be seen at his website here . 

The cards are 78 pieces of stunning work of art, each one of them. As one can notice some of the majors underwent ‘some’ changes, a few differences are small other very noticeable, but every one of the new ‘versions’ look wonderful to me!! One thing that did not change between this and the majors only version is the way the artist uses color and contrast in a way that make the images come alive, vibrant with energy ready to pop of the paper and right in your face.

The price and number of decks printed in this edition will off course depend upon how many people are interested in getting one (or more) decks, so let me advice you to contact the artist, that way he will have an idea of how many to print – and I’m under the impression there will be only one print run….(so the more interested, the more printed & the more affordable it will become, simple laws of economics), afterwards it’s too late to say there were not enough available….

The Symbolist Tarot fundraiser 2nd try

The Symbolist Tarot sadly didn't make it's needed financial go last time, but rejoice, the artist is back on Kickstarter to make an other go at it!

So i really really hope this time the funds are raised and the deck gets printed (and yes into my collection it will go) I'm once again a backer, are you too?

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• Update: as of 16 august 2012, the tarot met its funding goals, and Richard expects receiving the final decks in October, shipping them out to the backers will follow quickly, so I expect getting mine mid-November.

The Symbolist Tarot Deck by Richard Fox

A quick round of snooping around the net and I found a new deck to my pleasing, well not an actual deck yet, it's still in the fund-raising stage at Kickstarter.com ... so fingers crossed it meets it's goals and materializes after some time into my always needy collector-claws.

The theme of the deck is masterpieces from the Symbolism Art movement a deck that will echo and interest many readers and collectors, I know, I've heard the longing for such a deck for many years on many and various tarot forums around the world.And from what I saw from the artist's Blog and Facebookpage the artist knows the subject matter at heart and has a very warm and passionate relation with it, what results in choices I do love and understand!

You can pledge to the project so it may be at the kickstarter page here and also follow it on twitter, yes it is a well documented  and represented project, one I hope will succeed, success can be an elusive thing and hard to predict or calculate... 

Hexen 2.0 Tarot by Suzanne Treister

All that's called tarot is not a tarot (or is it?)
At this very moment the Science Museum in London is holding an interesting exhibition by the artiste Suzanne Treister what is it about, what the theme? Well hold on to your seatbelt cause here comes the description from the artist herself: "HEXEN 2.0 looks into histories of scientific research behind government programmes of mass control, investigating parallel histories of countercultural and grass roots movements. HEXEN 2.0 charts, within a framework of post-WWII U.S. governmental and military imperatives, the coming together of scientific and social sciences through the development of cybernetics, the history of the internet, the rise of Web 2.0 and increased intelligence gathering, and implications for the future of new systems of societal manipulation towards a control society" if you're asking WHAT right now when reading that, don't be ashamed, everyone has that reaction.. I think...

These concepts/idea's/analyses/... are condensed and projected into heavy extremely busy and filled to the maximum images that look like alchemical drawings with influences from 60ies underground poster- & music album art, as seen through the the world of the occult, the supernatural, conspiracies or just plain bizarre views on modern (post WWII) world history, with some exceptions that go a bit furted back into time .

Personally I cant see it as a Tarot deck, or at least what conventionally and traditionally is seen as one, for me it's an art project under the form of a social/trans-social/analysis/visualisation (insert far-out-word-here) something that is titled tarot.It has 78 cards divided into 22 majors 4 suits 4 court cards so yes the basic structure is there but the links and correlations to what they mean are gone and replaced by the artist personal world-view. But then any deck containing Aldous Huxley as The Fool, Cybernetics as The Wheel of Fortune,  Nikola Tasla as the King of  wands and Hackers as 6 of Wands is bound to at least be worthy of some attention and curiosity. 

All the works are also published in the HEXEN 2.0 book and HEXEN2.0 Tarot both by Black Dog Publishing. 

 

I Tarocchi Dell' Amore Sacro E Profano by Franco Coletti

Ah love, no one can live without it, merely survive and it inspires us to create great works of art. This deck is not only inspired by the artist for his beloved muse but has love as a theme.A true work of art and testimonial to Love.

The decks title roughly translates to 'Tarot of love the sacred and  the profane', from the highest to the most corporeal, all aspects are linked to the 78 cards in the tarot and this in a style that combines both aspects, all at the same time dreamy elegant and earthly sensitive. The artist also linked each card and image to parts of songs or literary excepts to evoke the correct mood and kind of love best fitting each arcana.
The king and queen of Pentacles are depicting 2 special friends and inspirations in the Artist's life the queen being Morena Poltronieri from the wonderful Museo dei Tarocchi and the king is Osvaldo Menegazzi from Il Meneghello


This wonderful tarot comes in a very very limited edition of only 12decks, you can check the availability and order directly from Ill Meneghello by email.

There is also a 'follow-up' deck to this one you can find here

22 "Massonici" in Una Libera Interpretazione

One of Italy most senior, respected AND prolific tarot designers and publishers (through his very well known brand Il Meneghello has put out some new decks these last few years each time in 3 "formats" 2 deluxe sizes in wooden hand-crafted, decorated and individually different boxes in a very limited edition and a third more moderately priced set in normal cardboard boxes in editions of 250.

This is one of his newest publications from 2011, a majors only deck showcasing key-masonic symbology linked to the tarot archetypes. Differently to many masonic themed decks here the images are not presented in a stern, hermetic, veiled, mysterious or even threatening way but rather light even dare I light-hearted and sunny.

You can find more information about it and how to contact him here, his website created, updated and managed by the wonderful Arnell Ando or you can email Il Meneghello through here.

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)

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

Le Tarot des Grands Peintres by Jacques Breyer

This deck is also known as "l'Arbre du Thot" and under the English title of ""Fine Art Tarot"" was published in 1979 by the artist in 2 different formats the large one being 8.75 in x 4.5 in, (22 cm x  11cm), this is the one I posses,  and 4.25 in x 2.25 in (11 cm x 5,5 cm) and sold in a nice wooden box, and to make the whole even more special the edges where gilded, there was also a version of this deck distributed by US Games Inc. in 1981 for the USA.

The creator started his work linking the 22 majors to great works of art in the spring of 1979, (and a great season that is to let things grow organically isn't it?), using sections of these pieces of classical art, well known paintings by famous artists (for ex. Botticelli , Bosh, Rubens and many more), illuminations from manuscripts and colored engravings he created a nicely balanced yet eclectic deck that portrays the creative genius from past era's linked to the tarot archetypes. He also gave every card a motto fitting each card's personality and actions..

I Tarocchi Surrealisti - Emilio Ortu Lieto

This month saw the addition to my collection of Emilio Ortu Lieto's latest tarot, limited to only 30 decks it's not a inexpensive one but to me its worth every cent i paid.

Mr Lieto's has been productive these last five years with 4 decks, published in a limited editions these are  the:Tarocchi Gay Orsi , I Tarocchi Metafisici and the I Tarocchi Sardi.
The artist being a set and costume designer he knows how to create an atmosphere and hold it working and alive over the 'period' of 22 cards, this time the world he created was a surrealist one reworking the images we know all to well into something surprising and fresh.

With some luck you can find one on eBay or here

Tarot of the Masters

Taking a 'small brake' from the Russian decks - i love to mention this deck by tarot writer, blogger and all round well rounded person James Ricklef. Already to his third small limited edition run it is very well worth having a look into, and perhaps get one now you still can.
(First limited edition of 55 copies; second limited edition of 101 copies & Third limited edition of 110)

The deck has as starting points great masterpieces of classical art and links them to all 78 tarot archetypes, indeed we recognize paintings by Toulouse-Lautrec, Rembrandt and Hieronymus Bosch. But different than other decks who are based upon classical art James takes them and does his 'thing' to them redrawing them in n pen and ink and colored on the computer, giving all cards in the deck an uniform feel and look, something - in my humble opinion - he has very well succeeded in doing.
James website is here
and here is his blog

Infinite Visions Tarot

Yet another little gem of self-publishing this deck is created by computer collage technique using the art of old masters and not using the most well know ones so this deck offers lots of visual discoveries, while remaining close to the Waithe-Colman-Smith tradition, and is a pleasure to look at with it saturated colors and glossy lamination. The artist offers 2 versions for sale on her website one cut out and with rounded corners and one less expensive 'do-it-yourself-version' where you have to cut and round yourself (what could be interested for those on a budget).

There are 80 cards in it the 2 extras are the 'Dark Priestess' and the 'Dark Magician'

The artist's website where you can look at all cards, get information about it and even have a free reading with it is: http://www.infinitevisionstarot.com