It’s been up since the end of January, but I just came across this NYC Tarot art show the other day while visiting the fabulous Phantasmaphile website.
Curated by Aunia Kahn, the show is called Tarot Under Oath and features pieces by 22 artists, each inspired by one of the 22 cards in the Major Arcana.
Tarot Under Oath hangs until March 1st at Last Rites Gallery in New York City, but if you can’t get there in person, visit their website to see all the images.
A book with artwork and artist statements will be available at the show. I wish there was a deck too.
The Elora Tarot Project is the brainchild of Shelley Carter who, after a trip to Italy in 2011, came home to Elora, Ontario inspired to create a ‘made in Elora’ Tarot deck.
She gathered some of her artist friends together and they liked the idea too. Next thing you know, the deck was born.
You can see it online at the Elora Tarot Project website. But if you’re lucky enough to be in the Toronto area from January 9th through the 12th, you can see it in person.
All 78 artworks will be on display in the 2nd floor gallery of the beautiful old Gladstone Hotel. Though the show will already be hanging a few days earlier, the reception for the event will be held on Saturday, January 11th from 7 to 10pm.
The show itself, which runs until November 3rd at Elora’s Wellington County Museum and Archives, features 78 original art works created by 65 different artists from the Elora, Ontario area.
Daemon Rowanchilde is one of those artists. He created the beautiful Star card in the deck, and in the video below, the first in a series by Rowanchilde called The Art of Transformation, he describes the symbolism of his card in detail.
Rowanchilde is a tattoo artist who sees the process of tattooing as a spiritual journey, not unlike the spiritual healing found in the Star card.
Take a look …
And if you’re in the Toronto area and can’t make it out to the exhibit before November 3rd, take heart. I hear that The Elora Tarot Project is coming to the Gladstone Hotel in January. I’ll let you know when I find out more.
Inspired by artists who anonymously leave pieces of their art around their neighbourhoods for anyone who might be lucky enough to find them, I’ve been conducting my own little neighbourhood Tarot Art Drop.
The art itself might not be so good, but the intention is meant to be.
I started by asking the deck – which cards want to play in the Tarot Art Drop?
After choosing twelve cards (a completely random number), I first drew each of the images on sketch paper. I then glued the pictures to cardboard from an old box I had around, then coloured and glazed each one.
On the back of the finished card-pictures, I wrote a little positive message, something related to the card, then started dropping them around.
Over the last few months, I’ve left them in alleyways, bus stops, and in phone booths.
For all I know, they’ve all been lost to the wind, or destroyed in the rain. But maybe at least one of them was picked up and got their message through.
And hopefully, they were able to spread their good energy whether anyone noticed them or not.
I love group Tarot decks, and the new Elora Tarot Project, curated by Shelley Carter, is no exception.
After a Tarot trip to Italy in 2011, Carter returned home to Elora, Ontario inspired to make her own deck, or more specifically, a ‘made in Elora’ deck.
She passed the idea by some artist friends of hers, and next thing you know, the Elora Tarot Project was born.
You can see images of the cards at the Elora Tarot Project website, where you’re also able to purchase a copy of this beautiful deck.
But if you’re lucky enough to be in the Southern Ontario area, you can also see the Elora Tarot Project in person.
An exhibit of all the original artwork is running now through November 3rd at the Wellington County Museum and Archives.
The video below is part of Tarot des Sens, a sound design of the Major Arcana performed by the Swedish percussion trio, Hidden Mother at Capitol Stockholm 2013.
This piece is by Magdalena Meitzner and is meant to evoke the energy of the Chariot.
The Iona Contemporary Dance Theatre from Hawaii, has reprised their 2007 production – The Living Tarot.
In the original production, audiences visited an old Victorian house in Nu’uanu, which had been transformed into a Tarot wonderland. Ten rooms of the house became 3-D contemporary Tarot cards inhabited by various members of the Major Arcana.
This time around, audiences still get to visit the magical Tarot house and meet characters from the deck, but they don’t need to actually be in Hawaii to do so.
The 2013 production of The Living Tarot is virtual and available free for everyone to enjoy.
May 3rd was the opening night of the weekly on-line performances which run through June, but you can see past week’s performances at the Iona website. You can also register there for notices on upcoming weeks.
Though I’d certainly rather be in Hawaii enjoying the show, my living room couch is good too.
